LONDON — Three Iranian nationals have been charged in the United Kingdom with plotting surveillance and potential acts of violence against journalists linked to a British-based Persian-language news outlet critical of the Iranian government, authorities confirmed Friday, as reported by Reuters.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, appeared via video link before London’s Old Bailey court, facing charges under Britain’s newly enacted National Security Act. The law, introduced to strengthen defenses against foreign-state threats, has been used in this case to accuse the trio of assisting Iran’s foreign intelligence service.
Prosecutors allege that from August 2024 to February 2025, the men engaged in conduct likely to aid Iranian intelligence operatives. Police say the plot specifically targeted journalists working with Iran International, a U.K.-based broadcaster that has frequently drawn the ire of Tehran for its critical coverage of the regime.
Sepahvand faces an additional charge of conducting surveillance in preparation to commit serious violence. Manesh and Noori are accused of coordinating surveillance intended to enable others to carry out violent attacks.
All three men indicated through their attorneys that they intend to plead not guilty. A formal plea hearing is scheduled for September 26, with a full trial set for October 2026.
The arrests followed a broader counterterrorism operation last month in which eight men were detained, including four other Iranian nationals. Those individuals were later released without charge, though officials said investigations remain ongoing.
Iran International, backed by Saudi investors and headquartered in London, has long been a target of the Iranian regime’s hostility. British intelligence agencies have previously warned of plots to assassinate dissidents and journalists on U.K. soil—part of what officials describe as an escalating campaign of transnational repression by Tehran.
The case underscores growing concerns among Western governments over the reach of hostile foreign intelligence services, and marks one of the first high-profile uses of Britain’s updated national security legislation to counter threats beyond espionage.
