UK charges Liverpool man with assisting Iranian intelligence service
11:49, 17/07/2026, FridayU: Update: 11:49, 17/07/2026, Friday
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A 39-year-old man from Liverpool has been charged with assisting Iran's intelligence service under the UK's National Security Act. Counter-terrorism police said no direct threat to the public has been identified, as the case adds to a growing number of national security investigations.
A man has been charged under the UK's National Security Act with assisting Iran's intelligence service, according to reports on Friday. Vahid Aberi, 39, from Liverpool, was arrested on Wednesday by counter-terrorism officers in the Birmingham area on suspicion of an offence under Section 3 of the act.
Arrest and Search
Officers also searched addresses in Liverpool and Birmingham, and the Crown Prosecution Service subsequently authorised the charge. Aberi was remanded in custody and was due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, Sky News reported.
No Public Threat Identified
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said police had not identified any direct threat to the public in connection with the investigation. "We have seen a significant and sustained increase in the tempo of our work in national security investigations in recent years," she said, adding that the case was "another example of where we've intervened to disrupt suspected activity linked to foreign intelligence services."