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Tehran Charges British-Iranian With Trying to Topple Government


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during the inauguration of the new parliament, in Tehran, Iran, May 28, 2016.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during the inauguration of the new parliament, in Tehran, Iran, May 28, 2016.

A British-Iranian woman being detained in Iran has been charged with attempting to overthrow the country's government.

Iranian news agencies reported Wednesday that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is accused of taking part in media and intelligence projects aimed at causing the "soft toppling of the Islamic Republic."

The agencies quoted a statement from Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 37, was arrested at Tehran Airport on April 3 as she prepared to leave the country with her daughter after visiting family in Iran. The statement from the Guards said she is now being held at a prison in southeastern Kerman province.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an employee of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable branch of the news agency.

Iran does not recognize dual citizenship and if Zaghari-Ratcliffe is put on trial, she will be considered an Iranian.

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