News- Middle East: Iran's judiciary spokesman says that two British nationals recently arrested in the country's southeastern city of Kerman have been charged with spying for Western intelligence services.

"These individuals were placed under surveillance with the cooperation of security agencies and were arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC of Kerman Province," Asghar Jahangir said in remarks on Wednesday.

Under the cover of conducting research and investigative work, they collected sensitive information across multiple provinces, he said.

Jahangir stated that the two, arrested in January, were found to have been "cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile and Western countries."

The UK has identified the two as a couple named Craig and Lindsay Foreman.

Last week, the UK ambassador to Iran, Hugo Shorter, met with them at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office in Kerman.

The meeting was conducted at the request of the British ambassador and approved by Iranian judicial authorities, with coordination from the security apparatus.

Iran has previously arrested foreign nationals, including dual citizens, on espionage charges.

Western states have often objected to the detentions, describing the arrested individuals as innocent.

Some of those prisoners have been released on humanitarian grounds, and some others swapped for Iranian nationals detained abroad.