Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Saturday, June 21, 2025

Iran says it nabbed German-Jewish bicyclist for allegedly taking footage of military area

By AP and ToI Staff 21 June 2025, 4:36 pm 2 Edit

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran, for the first time, acknowledges detaining a German bicyclist as its war with Israel rages on.

The IRGC-linked Mehr News agency released a heavily edited video yesterday of Marek Kaufman, described as a dual-national Jewish tourist, admitting to taking footage of a military area and that he knew such activity was forbidden.

The narrator of the video, who is under US sanctions for producing forced confessions for Iran, claims that Kaufman was in contact with “American and Jewish commanders” who instructed him where to go.

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