An Israeli ex-minister was sentenced to 11 years in prison yesterday for spying for his country’s main enemy Iran after a plea bargain in the case, the prosecutor said.

Gonen Segev, who served as energy and infrastructure minister from 1995 to 1996, had previously agreed to a plea bargain on charges of serious espionage and transfer of information to the enemy.

Court hearings were held in secret due to the nature of the case.

Prosecutor Geula Cohen confirmed to journalists outside the Jerusalem district court that the judge had accepted the plea bargain and issued the sentence.

“He admitted having given information to the Iranians over five years,” Cohen said.