By Agencies

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Seven people have been arrested in Italy on suspicion of trafficking weapons to Iran, despite an international ban on trading arms with the Islamic Republic.

Five Italians and two Iranians, including "some who are believed to belong to the Iranian secret service" were among those detained, police said on Wednesday.

Arrest warrants have been issued for two other Iranians currently living in their homeland.

Authorities believe the arrests, which took place overnight Tuesday in several Italian cities, has disrupted an operation which would shift large quantities of hi-tech gear including bullets, guns and explosives to Iran.

Armando Spataro, Italy's anti-terrorism chief, said the investigation was of "considerable importance because it concerns the entire international community".

The probe, called operation "sniper", began in June 2009 and involved extensive wiretapping and searches of more than 20 sites in nearly a dozen Italian provinces, he said.

'Triangular system'

A police statement said those arrested were wanted for "criminal association for the purpose of exporting arms and weapons systems to Iran in violation of the international embargo that is in effect".

Colonel Vincenzo Andreone of the financial police, who led the operation, said some of the Italians arrested were "entrepreneurs, the heads of various import-export or communications businesses".

"They had set up a triangular system to cover their tracks. The trafficking was taking place at least since 2007."

Andreone said they bought weapons in Europe, mainly in Europe, then transported the arms through third countries such as Britain, Switzerland and Romania before shipping them to Iran.

The scheme fell apart during a check by Romanian customs officials, who confiscated 200 gunsights. Another 100 were seized in London, he said.

He said police in Bern, Switzerland, where one of the Italian suspects resided, had collaborated with the investigation.

British authorities arrested a Briton implicated in the trafficking a few months ago, Spataro added.

Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, has previously said that trade sanctions against Iran, which is subject to an international arms embargo, should be tightened.