Police say 39-year-old Vahid Aberi of Liverpool has been charged with assisting Iran’s intelligence service under the National Security Act. He was arrested Wednesday in the Birmingham area by Counter Terrorism officers on suspicion of a section 3 offence and later charged by the Crown Prosecution Service. Searches were carried out at addresses in Liverpool and Birmingham. Aberi was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Police said no direct threat was identified.