Iran arrests German national, accuses him of 'espionage' in nuclear and military facility areas
Iran has accused and arrested a German national for espionage on its nuclear and military facilities inside the country, according to state TV Channel Two. Iran branded the man as a dual German national as well as a spy.
The German national was arrested in the Markazi Province, according to reports, with officials alleging he had "dozens of instances of espionage and/or sabotage".
According to a BBC report, the accused had entered the country disguised as a tourist, but has been spotted frequently filming sensitive areas across the country, some of which even include military and nuclear facilities in Iran.
This marks an increase in the number of arrests made in the country, amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. A BBC report on this reads, "An unspecified number of people in several provinces, including Markazi, Isfahan and Tehran, have been detained on related charges since Israel's attacks on Iran started."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
28 minutes ago
- News18
Saudi Arabia condemns blatant Israeli aggressions against Iran
Abu Dhabi, Jun 21 (AP) Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has condemned 'blatant Israeli aggressions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security, constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms, and threaten the security and stability of the region," the state-run Saudi Press Agency has reported. Speaking at Friday's meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, he called for 'the immediate cessation of military operations, the avoidance of escalation, and a return to the negotiation track between Iran and the international community." Iran and Saudi Arabia were long regional arch-rivals but have normalized relations in recent years. Riyadh was quick to side publicly with Tehran after Israel launched a surprise barrage of strikes on Iran last week. Bin Farhan also reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The kingdom and France had been set to co-chair a conference in New York this month on the topic, which was postponed due to the outbreak of the Israel-Iran war. (AP) SCY SCY
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Who is Vance Boelter? Everything we know about the Minnesota shooting suspect
Vance Luther Boelter, the man accused of fatally shooting Democratic Minnesota State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman in the early hours of June 14, is now facing a slew of federal and state murder charges. Boelter also shot and seriously wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, later that same night. A handout photo posted by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office appears to show Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the suspected gunman in the shooting deaths of a Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, in custody, at an unidentified location, released June 15, 2025. (Ramsey County Sheriff's Office via Facebook/Handout via REUTERS) Boelter graduated in the 1990s with a Diploma in Practical Theology in Leadership and Pastoral from Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. After returning to Minnesota, he earned a degree from St. Cloud State University in 1996. He went on to work in the food service industry for companies like Gerber and 7-Eleven. In 2021, Boelter abruptly left his job and moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he began preaching sermons. Back in Minnesota, he worked at funeral homes to finance his travel and launched a number of ventures, including a security business and a fishing operation called 'Red Lion' in Congo. "I was more on the side of, 'Hey buddy, this doesn't sound right, it's irresponsible to quit your job and now you're burning your cash,'" an acquaintance told CNN. 'It just made no sense to me.' Family and "prepper" lifestyle Boelter lived with his wife Jenny Boelter, their five children, and two German shepherds. During the manhunt, Jenny was pulled over during a traffic stop but was not detained "My office assisted law enforcement from Hennepin County on a stop near a convenience store in the city of Onamia. Our role on this stop was perimeter. We did not search or question any of the occupants," Kyle Burton, Mille Lacs County Sheriff, told FOX 9. "I was told by my staff who responded that the shooting suspect's wife was in the car along with several other relatives." According to a newly unsealed FBI affidavit, Boelter and his wife were described as "preppers," a term that refers to people who actively prepare for apocalyptic or catastrophic events by stockpiling supplies and weapons. Rambling letter and hit list The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Boelter wrote an incoherent letter to the FBI, claiming that Governor Tim Walz had ordered him to assassinate Senator Amy Klobuchar as part of a supposed conspiracy to take her Senate seat. There is no evidence supporting this claim. Authorities also found a manifesto with a 'target list' of about 70 Democratic lawmakers, including Walz, Klobuchar, and Sen. Tina Smith. Federal Charges (Filed in U.S. District Court, Minnesota) Boelter faces six federal charges, including: Stalking (Rep. Melissa Hortman) – Max: Life in prison Stalking (Sen. John Hoffman) – Max: Life in prison Murder with a firearm (Rep. Melissa Hortman) – Max: Life or death penalty Murder with a firearm (Mark Hortman) – Max: Life or death penalty Firearms offense (Sen. John Hoffman shooting) – Max: unspecified, typically severe Firearms offense (Yvette Hoffman shooting) – Max: unspecified, typically severe State Charges (Filed in Hennepin County Court) Boelter also faces four state-level charges: Second-degree murder (Melissa Hortman) – Up to 40 years in prison Second-degree murder (Mark Hortman) – Up to 40 years in prison Second-degree attempted murder (Sen. John Hoffman) – Up to 40 years in prison Second-degree attempted murder (Yvette Hoffman) – Up to 40 years in prison
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Trump's ‘Two Weeks' Pause on Iran Strikes Comes With High Stakes
President Donald Trump often suggests that something will happen in 'two weeks' when he's looking to buy himself some time. But his latest two-weeks declaration — on possible US military strikes in Iran — comes with unusually high stakes. The pause, after days of bellicose rhetoric and social posts about evacuating Tehran, rattled markets in the region, triggered new threats from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, led Iranian officials to call the US Israel's 'partner in crime' and left Israel in a holding pattern. Because by now the world knows that Trump's 'two weeks' could mean two days, two months or never, his delay this time only fed the uncertainty. Regional equities slid on Friday, despite a sustained surge in oil prices that would typically support sentiment in Gulf economies. Israel — a US ally with particularly close ties to Trump — has been placed in a holding pattern. It launched its attacks arguing that Iran's nuclear capabilities must be neutralized. But experts say it will be hard for Israel to destroy Iran's most fortified uranium enrichment facility, the Fordow plant, without the bunker-busting bombs only the US has. The US military launched several long-range stealth B-2 bombers — the kind that could carry the 30,000-pound bombs — from Missouri over the Pacific, according to media reports, possibly positioning them in case of a strike. The Wall Street Journal cited officials saying that no order has been given to ready an operation. 'For the Israelis it does put them in a bind,' said Illan Goldenberg, a former White House and Pentagon official who worked on Iran issues. 'They'd prefer this not go on for weeks and months.' 'My guess is they have some kind of option for Fordow, but it's not as good as our option for Fordow,' said Goldenberg, a senior vice president at J Street, a liberal Israel lobbying group focused on creating a two-state solution. The Israelis 'put themselves in this limbo by launching a war and putting their faith in Donald Trump to come and finish the job.' Israeli officials told the White House in what was described as a tense phone call on Thursday that two weeks is too long to wait for Iran to reach a deal to dismantle its nuclear program, Reuters reported Saturday. Iran, meanwhile, could seek to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global crude flows. Even without a direct move by Tehran, nearly 1,000 vessels daily have reported GPS jamming near the narrow passage separating Iran from its Arab neighbors, according to the French naval liaison body MICA Center. The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia in Yemen, threatened on Saturday to target US vessels and battleships if the US joins Israeli attacks. The conflict started June 13 when Israel, saying it had evidence that Iran was close to achieving nuclear weapons capability, launched a series of missile attacks on Iran, which has returned missile attacks. Keeping the world guessing Trump for years has had a penchant for setting two-week deadlines, sometimes following through and at other times missing them or never acting at all, making 'within two weeks' a stock phrase for pending decisions in both his White House terms. On Friday, Trump kept the world guessing on his next steps. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, he called himself a 'peacemaker' and dismissed the idea of sending in ground troops. He both suggested he wanted a diplomatic path and said he might support a ceasefire, but also kept a military threat alive, describing the two-week time frame as a maximum. 'I'm giving them a period of time,' he declared. Israel has pressed Trump to offer support, but in return Trump has only offered a run of tough commentary. European diplomats have stepped in to try to de-escalate tensions by talking to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi with little to show for it but a dismissive remark from Trump. Trump won the presidency twice promising not to get the US involved in the kinds of intractable Middle East wars he savaged his predecessors over. His most fervent MAGA supporters have been urging him publicly and privately to avoid military action in keeping with his 'America First' position. Since Israel's assault on Iran started, Israelis have faced hundreds of ballistic missiles and 1,000 drone attacks launched by Tehran. Iran has lost a slew of military officials, with more than 400 people dead and several nuclear facilities and related infrastructure destroyed or damaged. Israel, which has been waging a military campaign in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked the country on Oct. 7, 2023, may struggle to sustain a war against Tehran. The US is already working to replenish Israel's defenses as they deplete their stock of interceptors. And Israeli officials say Trump's pause means the war will last even longer. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the Jewish state will 'achieve all of our objectives,' including rendering Fordow inoperable. Trump cited hopes for negotiations as part of his aim for the 'two-week' pause. But Iranians refuse to negotiate with the US while an Israeli assault continues, and the talks with European leaders appeared to make little progress. Trump expressed skepticism about those efforts Friday, saying: 'Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help them.' Yet Iran refuses to talk to the US while the Israeli assault continues. Peter Krause, a Boston College professor who specializes in Middle Eastern politics, argued that if Trump is doing 'coercive diplomacy' with Iran, then his 'hand is strengthened' the more damage Israelis do to Iran. Krause said the next two weeks will likely see a 'ramping up with more of the same militarily, but simultaneously, attempted diplomacy led by the Europeans and maybe the United States and the Turks to see if we can get an off-ramp before things get worse.' Trump has also long hurled ultimatums at opponents that he often quickly reverses as he pushes them to make concessions — as the world saw with his tariffs regime in the spring — demanding exorbitant tariffs only to back off once the trading partner arrived at the negotiating table. But taking that approach here may not work. The latest signals from the White House suggest a demand for zero uranium enrichment in Iran, a condition Tehran sees as fundamentally unacceptable. Iranian officials maintain they have no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, but argue that some level of enrichment, under clear restrictions and oversight, is a sovereign right. Stripping that away, they contend, would amount to capitulation rather than compromise. With assistance from Ethan Bronner. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
