Iran confirms London-based professor detained on security charges

April 29, 2018 - 19:44

TEHRAN – The Iranian Judiciary spokesman confirmed on Sunday that an Imperial College professor has been detained on security charges.

“Accusations are security-related and he is under detention,” Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said in a press conference.

He refrained to give more details.

Abbas Edalat, a British-Iranian citizen and a professor of computer sciences and mathematics at Imperial College London, was arrested on April 15.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Edalat traveled to Iran from his home in London at an unknown date to attend an academic workshop, according to family friends.

An informed source told the Fars news agency on Friday that members of a spying team linked to Britain have been apprehended.

“Recently members of a network affiliated to Britain, who sought to launch espionage operations in Iran have been detained,” the source told Fars.

He added, “They had contacts with some main members of the group which led to the 2009 unrests and other anti-Iran moves.”

Abbas Edalat was also among those arrested.

NA/PA