Iran has arrested a number of local people working for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Farsi-language service, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Monday.

An informed source was quoted by Mehr as saying that a number of "deceived" locals who were tasked with collecting news and information in Iran for the BBC have been arrested by security forces.

These people received considerable amount of money from the corporation, the source said, but did not name or specify the number of the people arrested.

In November 2011, Mehr said that Iranian intelligence forces arrested Hassan Fathi, a local who had been cooperating as a reporter with the BBC for a long time, on charges of spreading lies about the Islamic republic and making attempts to manipulate the Iranian public opinion.

Last September Iran said that six Iranian nationals, including a woman, were arrested for working for the BBC's Farsi-language service and distributing photos, videos and information to reflect negative image of Iran.

The BBC Persian TV channel provides services eight hours a day, seven days a week, in Farsi language in peak viewing time of Iran and Afghanistan from London.

Iran's intelligence ministry has warned Iranians not to work with the BBC, saying that those who are thinking about cooperation with the BBC should be careful not to fall into the trap of this anti-Iranian institution.