A fast‑moving and controversial development emerged from Iran when the Revolutionary Guards publicly announced the arrest of multiple foreign nationals within the country. Among those named was a high‑ranking diplomat from the United Kingdom who serves as the deputy ambassador in Tehran. The claim centered on accusations of espionage, including alleged acts such as collecting soil samples following ballistic testing. The announcement suggested that one of the detained individuals held a senior diplomatic position, claiming the deputy UK ambassador had traveled to the desert in England, accompanied by family members on a sightseeing visit, while footage allegedly shows him gathering soil during a missile test conducted by the Revolutionary Guards Aviation Force.
The outlet indicated that Whitaker was expelled from the city he was visiting after apologizing. This account was relayed by the Press TV network, which quoted the Iranian judiciary as the source. The network also aired footage that purported to show Whitaker and other detainees collecting samples of soil in a restricted area. The developing narrative drew attention to the broader context of foreign nationals in Iran and the sensitive nature of zones tied to national security and defense activities. (IRNA / Press TV)
In addition to the British official, authorities reported that a husband to a female detainee, identified as an Austrian cultural attaché, was also implicated in soil sampling activities near Damghan in Semnan province. Earlier, he had been seen recording a military zone in Tehran, according to coverage from IRNA. (IRNA)
A third detainee was described as a Polish university professor who had entered Iran under the pretext of academic or scientific exchange. The narrative stated that the scholar visited Kirman and Shahdad as a tourist with the aim of collecting soil, water, rock, salt and mud samples during a missile test. The individual was named as Maciej Walczak, with the report linking him to the Department of Biotechnology and suggesting a connection to a Zionist regime and references to Israel via Copernicus University. At this stage, neither the United Kingdom, Austria nor Poland have issued official comments on the matter. (IRNA)
Iran’s justice ministry spokesperson, Massoud Setayeshi, announced that two French nationals detained in May are facing charges described as conspiracy against national security. He declined to identify the suspects, and noted that Iranians who are or were cooperating with the detainees are also under investigation, without offering further specifics. (IRNA)
Earlier, the French government condemned the detention of its nationals, noting that Tehran had announced arrests of two European citizens accused of orchestrating actions intended to cause chaos and social disorder. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence described the suspects as having entered the country with the aim of exploiting grievances among certain groups to trigger broader instability, signaling the seriousness with which Tehran regards perceived threats to internal security. (Ministry of Intelligence Iran / Official statements)