Reports: European dual national arrested in Iran during unrest

Iranian authorities have arrested a dual national who was taking pictures during recent unrest, Iran’s judiciary spokesman was quoted as saying on Sunday, as security forces sought to contain the most widespread protests in the country since 2009.

“As far as I was able to find out, we had a dual national arrested and this person had been taking pictures and filming,” Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei told a weekly news conference, according to the semi-official news agency Fars.

Mohseni Ejei gave no further details.

In early January, an Iranian judicial official said a European citizen had been arrested in anti-government protests in Borujerd county, western Iran, but did not specify the nationality of the detainee.

The official accused the unnamed detainee of having been “trained by European intelligence services … leading the rioters”.

Read: UK may pay decades’ old unpaid debt to Iran for release of jailed Brit

At least 22 people have died and 1,000 been arrested in the anti-government protests that began in late December.

Iran on Saturday lifted restrictions on the messaging app Telegram, after blocking the popular service. Pictures and videos of the protests were often posted on social media to encourage more people to take part in the marches.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have arrested at least 30 dual nationals in the past two years, mostly on spying charges, according to lawyers, diplomats and relatives.

Opinion: Protests strike a blow at Iran’s prestige