A man is facing trial for offering his services to Iranian intelligence after allegedly being caught storing what he was told was a drone in an undercover operation.
Vahid Aberi, 39, from Liverpool, is charged with engaging in conduct intended to assist a foreign intelligence service between December 17 2025 and July 16 2026.
The dual British-Iranian national appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday by video link from Wormwood Scrubs for a preliminary hearing before Justice Cheema-Grubb.
Setting out the allegation in court, prosecutor Joe Allman said the defendant had engaged in conduct to “materially assist” Iranian intelligence services in the UK, contrary to the National Security Act.
He was engaging with an “undercover roleplayer” after being stopped at Stansted Airport, he said.
Allman said: “As a further consequence, an arrangement was made whereby this defendant would carry out a number of activities which included setting up a new email address, purchasing a new phone, filling in a questionnaire and travelling to London from his home to pick up a burner phone.”
The defendant is then alleged to have travelled to London and picked up a “burgundy container” purportedly containing a drone.
On July 15, he was arrested and a burgundy bag was recovered from the boot of his car, Allman said.
Justice Cheema-Grubb said the case would be heard by a High Court judge at Preston Crown Court.
A provisional trial was set for February 15 2027 with a plea hearing at the Old Bailey on December 4.
Aberi, of Ampulla Road, Liverpool, spoke to confirm his identity and was remanded into custody.
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