Man charged in UK with assisting foreign intelligence service linked to Iran

British police have charged a Greek national with assisting a foreign intelligence service, believed to be Iran's, in connection with the targeting of a journalist. The individual, identified as Ioannis Aidinidis, 46, a resident of Munich, Germany, was arrested last Saturday and charged under the UK's National Security Act.

The allegations are understood to relate to Iran and specifically to the targeting of a journalist employed by Iran International, a television station based in London that is known for its critical stance towards Tehran's government. Aidinidis is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Counter-terrorism police emphasized that they do not believe there to be any broader threat to the public resulting from this incident. However, Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, acknowledged the potential for concern among individuals in the UK, particularly those working in Persian-language media. She assured that authorities are actively working with various organizations and individuals to provide safety and security advice.

This development follows an attempted arson attack in April on premises linked to Iran International in northwest London. While that incident caused no damage or injuries, British police had been investigating potential Iranian links, as well as connections to a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites in the capital. A pro-Iranian group had claimed responsibility for some of those incidents.

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We know this may cause concern for many people here in the UK, and particularly those working in Persian-language media. We continue to work closely with a number of organizations and individuals to provide them with advice and support around their safety and security, and this includes the specific individual and organization linked to this investigation.