Iran arrested Britain’s consulate on charges of espionage, released drone video and showed evidence
Giles Whitaker, the deputy head of the United Kingdom’s mission in Iran, and several others were arrested on Wednesday on espionage charges. Local media gave this information on Wednesday. These diplomats have been detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on their claims of spying and taking soil samples in the restricted area during the missile exercise. The IRGC released video footage claiming that Whitaker was seen near the site where the Iranian military was conducting missile exercises.
A report in The Jerusalem Post said the deputy ambassador has apologized and has been expelled. It was reported that one of the detained suspects had entered Iran as a participant in scientific exchanges with the university. The IRGC also claimed that the suspect had taken soil samples in some areas. The report claimed that diplomats are often used to search military sites and identify equipment and munitions.
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, reported state television: Reuters
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2022
The report also said that the detained diplomats were being used to build a new case related to the military aspects of Iran’s file with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The high-level arrest comes as efforts between Iran and world powers to return to the JCPOA nuclear deal stalled. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions on the country.
However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal in May 2018 and unilaterally imposed sanctions on Iran. Angered by this, Iran broke away from some of its commitments under the agreement. Iranian nuclear talks began in Vienna in April 2021, but were postponed in March this year due to political differences between Tehran and Washington after Iranian officials complained that the US was easing sanctions on their country before returning to the deal. Unwilling to remove
