Iran detains several foreigners for spying

Representative Image

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained several foreigners, including Britain's second most senior envoy in Tehran, for alleged acts of spying such as taking soil samples in restricted areas, state television reported on Wednesday. It did not say whether those detained were still under arrest. Britain said the reports were "completely false".

"These spies were taking earth samples in Iran's central desert where the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace missile exercises were conducted," state TV said. Iranian state TV showed what it said was footage of Giles Whitaker and his family in central Iran where the British diplomat appeared to be taking ground samples. The TV said it was near an area that a missile test was taking place by the Guards.

"Whitaker was expelled from the city after apologising (the authorities)," the TV report said. However, a spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office said: "Reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false."

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a network of Chinese, Emirati and other companies that it accused of helping to deliver and sell Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products to East Asia, pressuring Tehran as it seeks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever