Iranian security agents arrested at least eight people linked to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency during last week's unrest over gasoline price hikes, the official news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.

"These elements had received CIA-funded training in various countries under the cover of becoming citizen-journalists," IRNA quoted the Intelligence Ministry as saying. "Six were arrested while attending the riots and carrying out (CIA) orders and two while trying to ... send information abroad."

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Kevin Liffey)