Three accused of spying for Iran over alleged plot against UK-based journalists

A trial opened on Tuesday at a London crown court against three men charged under the National Security Act in connection with an alleged plot targeting journalists and other individuals in the UK. The defendants are Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57.

Prosecutors say the men carried out surveillance and research on several people, including journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, who work for the London-based Persian-language broadcaster Iran International, as well as Jonathan Turner, a founder of UK Lawyers for Israel.

According to the prosecution, Sepahvand intended to personally carry out a violent attack on at least one target, while the other two men assisted with planning. A voice note played in court captured Sepahvand telling an associate he would carry out the act for a payment of £150,000, while demanding at least £10,000 upfront to begin.

Defence account

Sepahvand claims he was coerced into carrying out the surveillance against his will, a claim prosecutors dismissed as entirely false, arguing instead that he acted for money and to have a prior theft conviction in Iran resolved. Manesh and Noori say they were unaware their surveillance work was assisting Iranian intelligence.

It is not disputed that all three men conducted the surveillance and research activity, which included visiting addresses linked to the targets, taking photos and videos, and using tools such as ChatGPT to research victims online between August 2024 and March of the following year.

Sepahvand, of St John's Wood in north London, faces an additional charge of conducting surveillance with intent to personally commit serious violence in the UK. Manesh, of Brent, and Noori, of Ealing, are charged with surveillance intended to enable violence by others. All three deny the charges and are being assisted by interpreters during proceedings. The trial continues.