Arms accused facing extradition

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A former Iranian diplomat accused of being involved in an international arms smuggling ring could be extradited.

Nosratollah Tajik, 53, of Coxhoe, Co Durham is accused of being the British link in a £1.5m conspiracy to supply military hardware to his home country.

He was allegedly filmed discussing the deal in a London office by US officials who want him to be sent to America.

Mr Tajik was bailed by the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court until 30 January for a further hearing.

Arms embargo

Mr Tajik's legal team claiming the Americans acted illegally and have accused them of entrapping him on British soil.

But District Judge Caroline Tubbs turned down a request for more details into the circumstances surrounding the US investigation.

She said: "I am not of the view that further information or evidence is required to enable me to make a final determination as to whether an abuse of process has occurred or not."

An earlier court hearing was told how Tajik, a former Iranian ambassador to Jordan, is accused of being the UK link in an illegal arms network that spans the US, Holland and Turkey.

Mr Tajik, who was appointed an honorary fellow at Durham University in 2004, is accused of trying to supply night-vision weapons to Iran, which is under an arms embargo.