Iran: Confusion after news of arrest

According to Iranian state media, foreign diplomats have been arrested on suspicion of espionage – but Great Britain and Austria deny this. Poland, on the other hand, has confirmed the arrest of a scientist.

Iranian state media has created confusion with reports of the arrest of several foreigners on suspicion of espionage. While Great Britain and Austria rejected the related reports, the Polish government confirmed the arrest of the Polish scientist. The foreign ministry in Warsaw said Iran had already arrested a “highly respected scientist” in September. The government is providing consular assistance to the man and is working towards his release. No further details given.

Iranian media on Wednesday named Maciej Waljak, a Polish scientist at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, as part of a string of foreigners accused of spying in the country. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards accused several Europeans of spying and taking soil samples in military restricted areas in the Iranian desert while the Revolutionary Guards were conducting missile tests. The state-run Irna news agency reported that the foreigners had been arrested, but did not specify when and if they were in custody.

Denial of Vienna and London

A British diplomat, identified by state television as the deputy head of the embassy, ​​Giles Whitaker, was reportedly among those arrested. The British Foreign Office has now denied this. According to the British news agency PA, a spokesman for the ministry said: “The reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false.” British Ambassador Simon Shercliffe described Iranian media reports of Whitaker’s arrest as “very interesting”. On Twitter, he reported that the diplomat had left the country at the end of his posting in December.

The semi-official Fars news agency, said to be close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported that Whitaker visited the restricted military area with his family while visiting the country as a tourist. State television broadcast footage purportedly showed him taking photographs and collecting soil samples at the missile training area.

Iran also reported on the arrest of the husband of the Austrian cultural attaché – which is now denied by the government of Vienna. It added that no employee or his family members were arrested. “All staff and relatives at the site are doing well,” a spokesman for the Austrian foreign ministry said.

Several arrests in the past

Tensions between Iran and the West have escalated since the unilateral withdrawal of the 2015 nuclear deal under then US President Donald Trump. Washington reimposed sanctions against Iran, which in turn backed away from its obligations under the agreement.

Iran has repeatedly arrested people with dual citizenship or Western connections, often on charges of espionage, and used them as bargaining chips in negotiations, such as those related to nuclear talks. There has been a deadlock for months over the resumption of the nuclear deal with Iran.