Greek national pleads not guilty in UK court to assisting Iran
Prosecutors said at his first court appearance that Aidinidis had traveled to Britain twice, in April and in May, to carry out surveillance of a journalist for Iran International.
Ioannis Aidinidis, a 46-year-old Greek national born in Georgia, appeared in a London court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to charges of assisting Iran's intelligence service in surveillance of an Iranian journalist working for Iran International, a London-based television station. The charges stem from Aidinidis' alleged travel to Britain in April and May to carry out surveillance, a claim supported by police but denied by Tehran.
Aidinidis, who was arrested in Munich, Germany, at the time, was charged under Britain's National Security Act and remanded in custody ahead of his trial scheduled for the following year. The UK has accused Iran of being involved in surveillance and sabotage efforts in Britain, and in October, two men were charged under the same act following a security incident at RAF Fairford military base.
The alleged plot involved attempting to assist Iranian intelligence operations in Britain, with the IRGC reportedly directing the actions. The UK has consistently denied involvement in such attacks or plots in Britain.
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