A man has been arrested after scaling Sydney Harbour Bridge in heavy fog to deliver a message to Donald Trump.

New South Wales Police were called to the scene early on Sunday morning. The force deployed police rescue and a specialist bomb disposal unit to help bring him down.

The 33-year-old, who gave his name as Pedro, left his car parked at the northern end of the bridge, before scaling it.

In a protest against the government of Iran, he went on to hang the flags of the USA, Israel and Australia from the top of the bridge, alongside the former flag of Iran which was replaced after the Iranian revolution of 1979.

In a video posted to Twitter from the top of the bridge, he claimed to have climbed the landmark to record a favourable “message from the Iranian people” to US President Donald Trump.

Revolution in Iran: In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Revolution in Iran: In pictures Revolution in Iran: In pictures A demonstration against the Shah in 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Armed women on guard in one of the main squares in Tehran at the beginning of the Iranian Revolution Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979, in Tehran, during a demonstration against the Shah AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Iranian rebels pose with a U.S. flag they bayonetted upside down on trees at Sultanabad Garrison northeast of Tehran on February 12 2019 AP Revolution in Iran: In pictures A gun battle in Khorramshahr during the revolution, 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah among tear gas. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Women wearing the traditional Chador demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah on September 7 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators in Tehran calling for the replacement of the Shah of Iran during the Iranian Revolution, 1979. They carry placards depicting Ayatollah Mahmoud Talaghani, one of the leading revolutionaries Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Thousands of the Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters on the streets of Tehran calling for the religious leader's return in January 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures The Iranian Islamic Republic Army demonstrates in solidarity with people in the street during the Iranian revolution. They are carrying posters of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian religious and political leader Getty

He added: "At the moment we don't have any President in Iran. Our President at the moment is President Trump - you are our President at the moment, until we get a new president and we get rid of this terrorist regime".

He followed this with a combination of apparent references to the QAnon conspiracy theory popular among some Trump supporters, and to the Iranian anti-government group Restart.

He has been charged with damage, disruption or obstruction of Sydney Harbour Bridge and faces a maximum sentence of a $22,000 (£11166) fine and two years in prison.

He appears in court on 7 July.

The Restart group was founded “to overthrow the regime of Islamic Republic of Iran, establish a government based on knowledge and merits, and replace misery and poverty with happiness and prosperity”, according to its website.