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."
In another major development around the Israel-Iran conflict, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has claimed that his country will not stop its nuclear activity nor give up its right to pursue a civilian nuclear programme.
In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian is reported to have stated that Iran was ready to provide guarantees to build confidence in its nuclear activities, but its nuclear programme could not be taken away by threats or war, in a dig possibly aimed at US President Donald Trump, who has served the Middle East nation two weeks of time to decide on its nuclear programmes.
This statement, according to the country's official IRNA news agency, comes amid the escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict, while the United States is still mulling whether it should strike Iran.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Pray it doesn't escalate into WW3,' says Former J-K DGP SP Vaid on US strikes in Iran
Shesh Paul Vaid, the former Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, expressed grave concerns over the potential escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict as the United States joined in on the hostilities by striking three Iranian nuclear facilities. Vaid said that he hopes Iran does not attack US facilities or bases, claiming that the response of the US to that would be "doomsday for the world." "If Iran attacks US facilities or US bases in the region, then the US will respond in a big way, and it can escalate into World War III. I only pray to God that it doesn't happen; otherwise, it will be doomsday for the world," Vaid told here. Vaid also highlighted the capabilities of the US military, noting that B-2 bombers and bunker-buster bombs were used in the strike, tools that are exclusively available to the US. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Encontre voos low-cost Voos | Anúncios de Pesquisa Saiba Mais Earlier, Vaid had expressed his support for US President Donald Trump's decision to strike the sites, writing in a post on social media, stating, "Finally Iran is denuclearised." Following the strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US, calling it a serious violation of international law, the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Live Events Further, Iran's mission to the UN has demanded an urgent meeting of the Security Council following the US attacks on its nuclear facilities. The mission described the US bombing as a "blatant and illegal aggression," and demanded it be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The top Iranian diplomat accused the US, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), of "lawless and criminal behaviour" by targeting what he described as peaceful nuclear installations. In his first public remarks since carrying out 'precision' strikes in Iran, Trump warned that he could order further action if Tehran does not agree to a satisfactory peace agreement. As per a report in CNN, which cited a US official, the US used six B-2 bombers to drop a dozen "bunker buster" bombs on the Fordow nuclear site. Navy submarines fired 30 TLAM cruise missiles at two other sites, Natanz and Isfahan, and a B2 dropped two bunker busters on Natanz, the official said. US President Donald Trump has also threatened Iran with further military action if peace is not achieved in the region. He made the remarks in his first public statement since the "precision" strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities--Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan - by the US on Saturday (US local time).
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Why a 14,000-kg bomb was the only option US had to strike Iran's nuclear Fordow fortress
The US has officially entered Israel's war on Iran — a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sought from the start. American warplanes dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced, bringing the U.S. military directly into the war after days of uncertainty about whether he would intervene. The three sites that Trump said were hit Saturday night included Iran's two major uranium enrichment centers: the mountain facility at Fordow and a larger enrichment plant at Natanz, which Israel struck several days ago with smaller weapons. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unbeatable Prices on Temu TEMU Shop Now Undo Fox News host Sean Hannity, citing a personal conversation with President Trump, revealed that six Massive Ordnance Penetrators, commonly known as 'bunker buster' bombs, were dropped on Iran's Fordow nuclear facility by multiple B-2 bombers. ALSO READ: US forces bomb Iranian nuclear sites; 'Fordow is gone' says Trump Live Events For days, Trump weighed whether to supply Israel with the powerful munitions needed to strike Iran's heavily fortified Fordow facility — a target extremely difficult to hit. The Fordow site in northwest Iran is the country's nuclear nerve and required the US' B-2 bombers— the world's most expensive military aircraft — to penetrate its defences. What is a Bunker Buster bomb? 'Bunker buster' is a broad term used to describe bombs that are designed to penetrate deep below the surface before exploding. In this case, it refers to the latest GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb in the American arsenal. The roughly 30,000 pound (13,600 kilogramme precision-guided bomb is designed to attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels, according to the US Air Force. It's believed to be able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 meters) below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast. It was not immediately known how many were used in the Sunday morning strike. ALSO READ: New York and other major US cities on high alert after America bombs Iranian nuclear sites The bomb carries a conventional warhead, but the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordow, raising the possibility that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were used to hit the facility. However, Israeli strikes at another Iranian nuclear site, Natanz, on a centrifuge site have caused contamination only at the site itself, not the surrounding area, the IAEA has said. US warplanes also hit Natanz. Iran's Fordow fortress The Fordow plant in the Iran's northwest is its second nuclear enrichment facility after Natanz, which has already been targeted by Israeli airstrikes. ALSO READ: To hit Fordow is to hit Iran's nuclear nerve; Here's why Fordow is smaller than Natanz, and is built into the side of a mountain near the city of Qom, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southwest of Tehran. Construction is believed to have started around 2006 and it became first operational in 2009 — the same year Tehran publicly acknowledged its existence. In addition to being an estimated 80 meters (260 feet) under rock and soil, the site is reportedly protected by Iranian and Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Only the bunker busters were believed up to the job, and only American aircraft could deliver them. The plant was impenetrable by any bomb except the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). The U.S. is the only country in the world that has this 'bunker buster' weapon, as well as the only country with the aircraft capable of transporting and deploying it: the B2 Spirit stealth bomber. ALSO READ: Why the US used B-2 stealth bombers, costing $2.1 billion each to strike Iran's nuclear sites This is in part why Israel had been so eager for U.S. involvement in its offensive operations against Iran in addition to its defensive ones. Moreover, the United States has blocked Israel from getting the bunker buster, and while Israel has fighter jets, it has not developed heavy bombers capable of carrying the weapon. World's most expensive military aircraft In theory, the GBU-57 A/B could be dropped by any bomber capable of carrying the weight, but at the moment the US has only configured and programmed its B-2 Spirit stealth bomber to deliver the bomb, according to the Air Force. The B-2 costs about $2.1 billion each, making it the most expensive military aircraft ever built. Made by Northrop Grumman, the bomber, with its cutting-edge stealth technology, began its production run in the late 1980s but was curbed by the fall of the Soviet Union. Only 21 were made after the Pentagon's planned acquisition program was truncated. It is only flown by the Air Force. According to the manufacturer, the B-2 can carry a payload of 40,000 pounds (18,000 kilograms) but the U.S. Air Force has said it has successfully tested the B-2 loaded with two GBU-57 A/B bunker busters — a total weight of some 60,000 pounds (27,200 kilograms). The strategic long-range heavy bomber has a range of about 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometers) without refuelling and 11,500 miles (18,500 kilometers) with one refuelling, and can reach any point in the world within hours, according to Northrop Grumman.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Any attempt to close Strait of Homuz ...': Former Treasury official flags Iran, Houthi reaction
Washington DC: "...Any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz right now will be met with probably unbelievable force from the United States. Now that this has started, it's not that difficult to imagine the French or the Brits coming in to clear the lanes... I see the Iranians as being absolutely suicidal if they go down this route, and I do get a sense that we could be at a pivotal moment here. It doesn't mean that Iran won't try to attack, but I think asymmetrically is much more likely than through conventional means.., "says Jonathan Schanzer, a former US Treasury official and terror finance analyst, when asked about the impact if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Show more Show less
