Belgium demands the release of a citizen accused of espionage in Iran
The spokesperson for Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian Foreign Minister, said, ‘I can confirm that Belgium has today submitted a request for the transfer of Mr. Van de Castille to Iran.’
Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke on the phone with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on Monday night, April 17. Consular issues were among the topics discussed in this phone call. The Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran issued a preliminary ruling on January 10 for four charges against the Belgian citizen who was recently arrested.
According to the issued indictment, Olivier Van de Castille is accused of espionage against the Islamic Republic of Iran in favor of a foreign intelligence service, collaboration with the hostile U.S. government against the Islamic Republic of Iran, professional currency smuggling amounting to $500,000, and money laundering of the same amount.
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