© AFP/File Anwar Amro

BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon has filed a complaint with the United Nations over what it says is an Israeli spy ring in the country, giving a list of 141 suspected agents, a diplomat said on Friday.

"Lebanon has complained over Israel having set up an espionage network in several areas, notably those of national security, military security and the security of telecommunications, both mobile and fixed," the diplomat said.

The government wants the complaint to be placed on the agenda of the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly to be held in New York later this month.

Beirut "calls on the international organisation to take note of the danger represented by this matter, which could be the prelude to a new aggression against Iran," the diplomat said.

More than 100 people have been arrested on suspicion of espionage since April 2009, including telecom employees, members of the security forces and active duty troops.

Many of the suspects are accused of having helped Israel identify targets during its devastating 2006 war with militants of the Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Five of those tried have been sentenced to death for spying for Israel's Mossad overseas intelligence service.

Lebanon and Israel remain technically in a state of war, and convicted spies face life in prison with hard labour or the death penalty if found guilty of contributing to Lebanese loss of life.