Three Iranian Men Face London Trial Over Alleged Spying on Dissident Journalists for Iran

Three men accused of conducting a covert surveillance operation on behalf of Iran appeared before Woolwich Crown Court this week, where prosecutors alleged they gathered intelligence on UK-based journalists who were marked for "serious violence" as punishment for their critical reporting on the Tehran government.

The defendants were identified as Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Noori, 57. All three were born in Iran but had been living in London, having arrived in the United Kingdom at various points between 2016 and 2022 after seeking asylum. Each was granted temporary leave to remain. In court, all three sat in the dock with interpreters and denied every charge brought against them.

According to the prosecution's opening statement, Sepahvand was the individual designated to physically carry out an attack, while Manesh and Noori allegedly handled the surveillance and reconnaissance work that preceded it. The men face charges under the National Security Act, most notably "assisting a foreign intelligence service."

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC told the jury that the intended targets were journalists employed by Iran International, a Persian-language satellite broadcaster headquartered in London that broadcasts into Iran and is known for its critical coverage of the Iranian regime. Tehran has formally designated the outlet as a "terrorist organisation." At least two journalists connected to the channel were placed under surveillance, according to the prosecution, and at least one of them was to be subjected to serious violence — both as retribution and as a warning meant to intimidate others who might consider speaking out against the government.

The court heard that the three men allegedly visited addresses tied to their targets, captured photographs and video, and conducted online research on the individuals. "The evidence we will call illustrates that these three defendants carried out surveillance and reconnaissance," Jones told the jury, describing their activities as "very obviously a form of spying."

One journalist specifically named in court was Mojtaba Pourmohsen. Prosecutors said images of Pourmohsen, his workplace, and a hotel where he had previously stayed were discovered inside a "briefing document" stored on Sepahvand's mobile phone. The prosecution further alleged that Noori photographed the apartment building where Pourmohsen lived in Brentford, southwest London, in December 2024, and that Sepahvand and Manesh also travelled to the location to take their own photos and videos.

Beyond the journalists, the men are also accused of holding a "briefing sheet" concerning Jonathan Turner, a barrister who was a founding member of UK Lawyers for Israel. The inclusion of this material suggests the alleged intelligence-gathering operation may have extended beyond media figures to individuals involved in legal advocacy.

On the question of motive, the prosecution rejected the explanation Sepahvand is expected to offer in his defence. According to the court, Sepahvand does not dispute his involvement in the surveillance but claims he participated because he feared the consequences of refusing. Jones characterised that account as "an entirely bogus claim," asserting instead that Sepahvand acted for financial gain and to secure a specific personal benefit: the resolution of a criminal conviction for theft he had received in Iran. "He was not just in it for money," Jones told the jury. "He quite explicitly wants something very particular in return for his work — he wanted his criminal conviction in Iran to be fixed."

The prosecution also indicated that Manesh and Noori are expected to testify that they were unaware they were conducting surveillance on behalf of the Iranian state. Sepahvand, meanwhile, was said to have been in contact with two men using Iranian telephone numbers, a detail that prosecutors will likely present as evidence of a direct link to Tehran.

The case forms part of a wider pattern of concern in the UK regarding hostile activity by foreign intelligence services on British soil. Iran International has long been a focus of such threats, and the trial is being closely watched as a test of the National Security Act, a relatively new piece of legislation designed to modernise how the UK prosecutes espionage and foreign interference.

The background of the defendants adds another layer of complexity to the proceedings. Sepahvand entered the UK in 2016 hidden inside a lorry, while Manesh and Noori arrived in small boats. All three subsequently claimed asylum and were permitted to remain temporarily — a fact that may fuel ongoing political debate about the screening of asylum seekers and the vetting of individuals arriving through irregular routes.

The trial continues, and the jury is expected to hear further evidence in the coming days. For now, the allegations remain untested, and the three men maintain their innocence on all counts.