Prosecutors said Mr Khalife acted recklessly in sending the document – which referenced an apparent meeting between then Foreign Office minister James Cleverly and Iranian deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani.
It could have caused “consequences” for Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the court heard.
Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said: “Do you understand that contemplating sending, or sending this document like you told police, could endanger British citizens?”
Mr Khalife said he did not remember the document in question.
In a transcript of a police interview previously read to the jury, Mr Khalife said he produced “fake documents” to help convince the Iranians to trust him.
When police arrested him and searched his room at Ministry of Defence Stafford in January 2022, they found a number of “completely fake” documents in digital and paper form purporting to be from MPs, senior military officials and the security services, the court heard.
Prosecutors said Mr Khalife made sure there was no record of what document was sent.
The trial continues.
