Ioannis Aidinidis, a Greek national living in Munich, was arrested on May 16, 2026, in West Sussex and charged under the UK National Security Act with assisting a foreign intelligence service believed to be linked to Iran [1, 2]. Authorities say Aidinidis conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence on a British-based Iranian journalist working for Iran International, a London-based Persian-language channel critical of Tehran, during 2024 and 2025 [1, 3, 2].
Iran International has faced previous threats, including an attempted arson attack on its London offices in April 2026 and earlier assaults on its journalists [1, 4, 2]. British counter-terrorism police and the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command lead the investigation. Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, said, "We know this may cause concern for many people here in the UK, and particularly those working in Persian-language media. We continue to work closely with a number of organisations and individuals to provide them with advice and support around their safety and security and this includes the specific individual and organisation linked to this investigation" [1].
Aidinidis appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 29, 2026, where he was charged, but he did not enter a plea. The case was then moved for further proceedings at the Old Bailey [1, 3]. There is no indication of a wider public threat stemming from the case, police said [1].
There is some discrepancy in Aidinidis’s age, with UK police sources citing him as 46 years old, while another source reports he is 36 [1, 3, 2].
The investigation continues under the coordination of counter-terrorism units, who are also advising the targeted journalist and related groups on security measures [1, 2]. The next hearing is expected at the Old Bailey.
