During the trial, Khalife recounted his attempt to travel to Iran in August 2020, claiming he sabotaged the operation out of fear after arriving in Turkey.

Khalife stated that his Iranian handlers wanted him in Tehran as part of standard procedure for their assets, further complicating his defense.

Daniel Khalife, a 23-year-old former soldier, is currently on trial at Woolwich Crown Court, where he denies all charges, including allegations of collecting sensitive military information for Iran and escaping from Wandsworth Prison.

Evidence presented in court revealed that police found fake documents in Khalife's possession, which mimicked official communications from MPs and military personnel.

His legal troubles escalated after he escaped from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023, hiding in a food truck, following contact with MI5.

Khalife is accused of passing secrets to Iran while serving in the Royal Corps of Signals for two years, raising serious national security concerns.

He expressed naivety in believing that security services would take him seriously despite his prolonged contact with a foreign intelligence agency.

Khalife joined the Army at age 16, seeking freedom from a strict and somewhat paranoid upbringing, which he described as difficult but not abusive.

Despite his challenges, Khalife identifies as English and emphasizes his patriotism for the UK, stating, 'I am English' during his testimony.

He expressed negative feelings towards Iran, describing his visits as disheartening and stating he found it to be a 'horrible place'.

Khalife claimed to have discovered a security flaw in the Army's system, believing that British security services would be impressed by his findings.

He alleged that some incriminating images on his phone were sent to him by his British troop commander via WhatsApp, which violated Army protocols.