Three Iranian men go on trial in London over alleged spying on journalists and attack plot

Three Iranian men have gone on trial in London accused of spying for Iran on UK-based journalists and preparing an attack on dissident media figures. The case is being heard at Woolwich Crown Court and centres on alleged surveillance of staff linked to Iran International, a London-based Persian-language channel critical of the government in Tehran. Prosecutors say the men's actions were part of conduct likely to assist Iran's foreign intelligence service.

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The defendants are Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57. They are charged under Britain's National Security Act with offences said to have taken place between August 2024 and March 2025. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones told jurors that the men had investigated at least two journalists, visited addresses linked to them and taken photographs and video footage in preparation for an attack that Sepahvand was to carry out.

According to the prosecution, the alleged targets included Iran International journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, as well as Jonathan Turner, a founding member of UK Lawyers for Israel. Emlyn Jones said the aim was for one or more of the individuals to be exposed to serious violence in retaliation for criticism of the Iranian government, and to create fear among others. He also told the court that all three defendants had admitted going to the locations and taking images, but disputed why they did so.

The trial comes amid rising tensions between Britain and Iran and renewed scrutiny of alleged foreign-state activity on British soil. The National Security Act was introduced to give UK authorities additional powers to counter threats posed by foreign states, and this case is among the first high-profile tests of that framework in court. Prosecutors say Iran has repeatedly targeted critics and opponents both inside the country and abroad, making the case significant beyond the individuals involved.

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The hearing has also drawn attention because it concerns journalists working for a media outlet that broadcasts into Iran and has been sharply criticised by Tehran. Prosecutors said the alleged surveillance was not limited to one person and that the operation was intended to intimidate critics more broadly. The court was told the defendants had also gathered material on Jonathan Turner, suggesting the alleged activity may have extended beyond media figures alone.

What remains unclear is how the jury will assess the defendants' explanations for their conduct and whether the prosecution can prove the alleged link to Iran's intelligence service. Javadi Manesh and Noori are expected to argue they did not know their actions were connected to spying for Iran, while Sepahvand has denied the charges. The trial is expected to continue to examine the scope of the alleged surveillance, the purpose of the visits and whether the case points to a wider network behind the operation.

Three Iranian men have gone on trial in London accused of spying for Iran on UK-based journalists, in a case prosecutors say involved plans for serious violence. The trial is taking place at Woolwich Crown Court and centres on surveillance linked to journalists associated with Iran International. All three defendants were born in Iran and were living in London at the time of the alleged offences.

Prosecutors told the jury that Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was to carry out the attack, while Farhad Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Noori, 57, were responsible for surveillance and reconnaissance. The court heard that at least two journalists linked to Iran International were targeted. One of the journalists named in the proceedings was Mojtaba Pourmohsen, and images of him, his workplace and a hotel where he had lived were said to have been found in a briefing document on Sepahvand's mobile phone.

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The defendants face charges under the National Security Act, including assisting a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said the evidence would show the men visited addresses linked to their targets, took photographs, recorded video and carried out online research. He told the court the alleged activity was "very obviously a form of spying".

Sepahvand does not deny involvement, but says he acted out of fear of the consequences of refusing, a claim prosecutors described as false. The case has wider significance because it concerns journalists working for a Persian-language satellite channel that is critical of the Tehran government and broadcasts into Iran. Prosecutors said the alleged targeting was intended not only to harm individuals but also to deter others from criticising the Iranian state.

Iran International has been declared a terrorist organisation by Tehran, underlining the political sensitivity of the case and the risks faced by media workers covering Iran from abroad. The trial also points to the continuing use of surveillance and intimidation in disputes involving Iranian dissidents and critics overseas. The prosecution said the men were in contact with two men with Iranian telephone numbers, and that one of the alleged targets was to be subjected to serious violence as retribution.

The court also heard that the defendants had a briefing sheet on barrister Jonathan Turner, who was a founding member of UK Lawyers for Israel, suggesting the surveillance may have extended beyond journalists alone. What remains unclear is how the jury will assess the competing accounts of the defendants' motives and knowledge. Manesh and Noori are expected to say they did not know they were carrying out surveillance on behalf of Iran.

The trial is expected to test the prosecution's claim that the operation was organised spying rather than ordinary criminal conduct, and to clarify the extent of any wider network behind the alleged surveillance.

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