Ten Iranian Jews arrested for spying for Israel were sentenced to 13 years in jail July 1 by a Revolutionary Court in Shiraz. Three others were acquitted.

Defense lawyers and court officials told reporters after the final closed-door hearing in this southern city that Hamid "Danny" Tefileen, a shoe salesman, and Asher Zadmehr, a university language professor, each received 13 years for their part in the Israeli spy ring. Ramin Nematizadeh, an army conscript accused of passing intelligence from his barracks, was sentenced to four years. Seven others were sentenced to terms of five to 11 years, they said. The jail terms began with arrest over a year ago.

Two Muslims, Ali Akbar Safaei and Mehran Yousefi, were sentenced to two years for collaborating with the spy ring. Two other Muslims were acquitted, while five others still have their cases open.

The government claims Mr. Tefileen lured Muslim informants through wild parties and that Mr. Zadmehr was one of the ring�s leaders.

There was heightened world attention to the case because the defendants could have faced the death penalty. They also were not given lashes, a typical punishment for criminals in the country.

"We are happy with today�s events because at least our clients and their families are sure there will be no death sentence. It was a small victory for us that we have passed this cumbersome hurdle," said lead defense attorney Esmail Nasseri.

Reading in part from a 71-page court finding, head of the local judiciary Hossein Ali Amiri said key espionage targets included the big Shiraz airbase and a helicopter complex in the central city of Isfahan.

U.S. President Bill Clinton in Washington expressed deep concern about the convictions and noted that the United States Human Rights Commission has denounced the judicial process by which the 13 Iranian Jews were tried as "seriously flawed."

"We call upon the government of Iran to remedy the failings of these procedures immediately and overturn these unjust sentences," he said. "We have raised our concerns time and again when the Iranian government has treated intellectuals, journalists, Muslim clerics and members of the Baha�i community with the same fundamental unfairness."

Israel has denied involvement with the convicted spies.

Mr. Tefilin was the first of the defendants arrested more than a year ago and was the first of two Jews involved in the case to be shown on national television confessing to spying for Israel. Mr. Zadmehr also confessed, though not on television.

In all, eight defendants confessed and pleaded guilty, four pleaded innocent and one acknowledged passing information but maintained his action did not constitute espionage.

Most of the accused were from Shiraz, 550 miles south of Tehran. Iran�s 30,000 Jews is the biggest Jewish community in the Muslim Middle East.