Three Iranian nationals charged in Britain for alleged espionage for Tehran

UK counterterrorism police arrested the men in early May, accusing them of conducting surveillance and planning acts of violence at the behest of Iran’s regime.

British authorities have charged three Iranian nationals under the United Kingdom’s National Security Act, alleging they assisted Tehran’s foreign intelligence services and engaged in activities intended to facilitate acts of serious violence on British soil.

According to The Times, the suspects—Mostafa Sepahvand, 39; Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44; and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55—were arrested on May 3 following an investigation led by counterterrorism officers. The charges relate to conduct occurring between August 14, 2024, and February 16 of this year.

As reported by The Guardian, Sepahvand faces additional charges of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance with the intention of committing grievous violence. Manesh and Noori are also accused of similar surveillance activities aimed at assisting another individual in carrying out serious acts of violence.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, emphasized the severity of the charges and the complexity of the investigation. “Since the arrests, detectives have worked diligently and closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to reach this point,” Murphy said. He urged the public and media to refrain from speculation, stressing the importance of allowing the legal process to proceed unimpeded.

All three men remain in custody and are expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Frank Ferguson, head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division at the CPS, reiterated that the defendants are entitled to a fair trial. “Criminal proceedings are active, and it is essential that nothing is reported or published that could prejudice the case,” he stated.

The charges come amid heightened vigilance over foreign state activities in the UK. Iran was recently designated as the first foreign state subject to the highest level of Britain’s new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme—part of a broader national security initiative set to take effect in July. Under the law, individuals acting at the direction of Iran or Russia must register such activity or face up to five years in prison.

Earlier this month, British authorities arrested eight Iranian nationals suspected of plotting an attack on the Israeli embassy in London. That operation, involving counterterrorism police and military personnel, was carried out across several cities, including Rochdale, Manchester, Swindon, and Stockport.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the recent countermeasures as a response to “some of the most significant state threats the UK has faced in recent years.”

Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, revealed last year that since 2022, British intelligence had disrupted more than 20 plots linked to the Iranian regime. These included attempts to kidnap or assassinate dissidents and journalists based in the United Kingdom.

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