A major espionage trial centered on Iranian men accused spying targeting UK journalists court proceedings began at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday. Prosecutors alleged that Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Noori, 57, gathered intelligence on London-based journalists working for Iran International to facilitate acts of severe violence.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC told the jury that the defendants conducted reconnaissance on journalists critical of the Iranian regime. Investigators recovered digital photos, video recordings, and online research data from the suspects’ devices. Prosecution evidence indicated that target locations included the residential address of journalist Mojtaba Pourmohsen in Brentford, as well as a report concerning a prominent British lawyer.
Furthermore, prosecutors stated that Sepahvand intended to carry out physical attacks, whereas Manesh and Noori performed surveillance. The state argued that Sepahvand sought to have an existing criminal conviction in Iran cleared in exchange for completing the espionage tasks.
All three defendants face formal charges under the National Security Act, including assisting a foreign intelligence service. Although the suspects obtained temporary leave to remain in the United Kingdom after claiming asylum between 2016 and 2022, prosecutors alleged that they maintained active contact with Iranian phone numbers.
Consequently, all three men denied the charges during the court hearing. Legal proceedings remain ongoing as the court continues to examine surveillance evidence and digital communications.
Reference
BBC News. (2026, October 6). Iranian men accused of spying targeted journalists with intent for ‘serious violence’, court hears. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlye0zydy0eo