TEHRAN, Iran
\nIran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards have detained several foreigners, including Britain\u2019s second most senior envoy in Tehran, for alleged acts of spying such as taking soil samples in restricted areas, state television reported on Wednesday. It did not elaborate on when they were arrested or whether they were still under arrest. Britain said the reports were \u201ccompletely false\u201d. \u201cThese spies were taking earth samples in Iran\u2019s central desert where the Revolutionary Guards\u2019 aerospace missile exercises were conducted,\u201d state TV said.
\nIranian state TV showed what it said was footage of Giles Whitaker and his family in central Iran where the British diplomat appeared to be taking ground samples. The TV said it was near an area that a missile test was taking place by the Guards.
\n\u201cWhitaker was expelled from the city after apologising (the authorities),\u201d the TV report said.
\nHowever, a spokesperson for Britain\u2019s Foreign Office said: \u201cReports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEHRAN, Iran Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards have detained several foreigners, including Britain\u2019s second most senior envoy in Tehran, for alleged acts of spying such as taking soil samples in restricted areas, state television reported on Wednesday. It did not elaborate on when they were arrested or whether they were still under arrest. Britain said the reports […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-270420","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n