BREAKING NEWS: UK’s Deputy Ambassador arrested in Iran for illegally taking samples

The IRGC Intelligence Organisation says that it has identified and arrested a number of foreign diplomats including the UK’s deputy ambassador for “taking samples from the Iranian soil in a restricted area.”

A report by Iran’s state TV says Giles Whitaker, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Tehran, who was visiting the desert areas with his family “apparently as tourists” during IRGC Aerospace’s drills nearby.

He was filmed by a drone removing unidentified samples and was arrested. He is said to have apologised but was expelled anyway.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported that Whitaker was an army officer before a long career with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

https://twitter.com/IranIntl_En/status/1544744928458186752?s=20&t=88MCXO8pWLG_OycFAYUsrQ

The other foreign nationals arrested by IRGC Intelligence include the spouse of the Austrian cultural attache in Tehran, Marcin Switoniak  professor in the Department of Soil Science at Copernicus University in Toruń, and Charzynski Przemysław, another professor of Soil Science.

The other foreign nationals arrested by IRGC Intelligence include the spouse of Austrian cultural attache in Tehran, Marcin switoniak (a professor in Department of Soil Science at Copernicus University in Toruń, and Charzynski przemysław, another professor of Soil Science. pic.twitter.com/9RiqxokEt1

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) July 6, 2022

The Iranian government has blamed Israel who they say are sending foreigners to spy on them and to steal information, Iran. The claim once again puts nuclear talks in doubt.

With Prime Minister Boris Johnson facing a rebellion in the UK, and rising discontent amongst MPs, the news that the deputy ambassador has been arrested will be further embarrassment for him and the country.

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