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.

A Greek man appeared in a London court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to carrying out surveillance on behalf of a foreign intelligence service on a journalist working for the London-based television ​station Iran International.

Ioannis Aidinidis, 46, who was born in Georgia and lived in Munich, Germany, at the time of his arrest, was charged in May under Britain's National Security Act. He was remanded in custody ahead of his trial in May next year.

Police previously said Aidinidis' actions were believed to be on behalf of 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, which is critical of Iran's government.

Tehran has consistently denied involvement in attacks or plots in Britain.

Multiple instances of Iran-linked attacks

The UK has repeatedly accused Iran of being behind surveillance and sabotage efforts in Britain.

In October, the UK charged two men under Britain's National Security Act following last month's security incident at the RAF Fairford military base, with prosecutors accusing one of them of trying to assist Iranian intelligence operations in Britain.

RAF Fairford had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, but they were withdrawn on security grounds shortly after five British men were arrested outside the base in southwest England in the early hours of September 27.

"I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)," Burnham told parliament.

The alleged plot came to light when five British men were arrested in the early hours of September 27 by three vans near the base on ​suspected terrorism and explosive offenses.

In a separate incident, the UK charged two Iranian nationals with preparing a terrorist attack against a Jewish community in northern England.

"It is no secret that this country faces a range of serious threats from the Iranian regime," Home Secretary (interior minister) Shabana Mahmood said in a statement. "They target our Jewish communities and try to silence their critics overseas, often through proxies and criminal networks to hide their involvement."