Three Iranians charged with spy activities in court – Liberation

Three Iranian nationals were charged in Great Britain for alleged espionage activities for the benefit of Iran between 2024 and 2025, London police announced on Saturday, after a survey carried out by its anti-terrorism unit.

They are the subject « Extremely serious accusations »underlined in a press release the commander of this unit, Dominic Murphy. Accused for « Acts likely to help a foreign intelligence service » Between August 2024 and February 2025, the three men, arrested on May 3, were presented on Saturday at a London court.

The three men, dressed in gray sweatshirt, did not declare whether they were guilty or not. They were placed in pre -trial detention and will appear during a preliminary hearing at the Criminal Court of the Old Bailey in London on June 6.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44 and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all lived in the British capital. They were arrested and then detained for two weeks under the law of 2023 on national security, which allows the police to arrest people suspected of being involved « In a threat activity emanating from a foreign power ».

Mostafa Sepahvand was also charged for acts of surveillance, research or recognition « With the intention of committing acts of serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom »said the police, without giving more details. Farhad Javadi Manesh and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori are charged for committing similar acts, « In order for serious violence to be committed by others against a person in the United Kingdom »she added. A 31 -year -old Iranian was arrested on May 9, before being released without prosecution on Thursday.

According to the BBC, these men planned to attack journalists from Iran International, a private TV channel based in London and classified as a terrorist organization by Tehran. In March 2024, his reporter Pouria Zeraati, had been attacked with a knife near his home in London and had to be hospitalized for a leg injury. « The survey concerns an alleged conspiracy aimed at a specific site »police said. According to British media, this is the Israel Embassy in London.

London announced in early March to place Iran, its intelligence services and the revolution guards at the highest level of Foreign Influence Influence Scheme (FIRS), which intends to fight against « Secret foreign influences ».

Update at 10:25 am with more details; at 4:40 p.m. with the targets targeted according to the British media