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.

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.