Three Iranian Men on Trial in London Over Alleged Spying on Dissident Journalists Targeted for Violence

Three men of Iranian origin appeared before a British court this week, accused of conducting surveillance on journalists working for a Persian-language broadcaster that is sharply critical of Tehran, in what prosecutors describe as an espionage operation that could have ended in serious physical harm to the targets.

The defendants — Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Noori, 57 — are standing trial at Woolwich Crown Court in south-east London. All three were born in Iran but have been living in the United Kingdom. Each has denied every charge brought against them, and each followed proceedings through an interpreter in the dock.

The case is being prosecuted under the National Security Act, a relatively recent piece of UK legislation designed to modernise the country's espionage and foreign interference laws. Among the allegations the men face is the charge of assisting a foreign intelligence service, which carries significant potential penalties.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC told the jury that Sepahvand was the individual selected to actually carry out an attack, while Manesh and Noori were tasked with the surveillance and reconnaissance work needed to prepare for it. According to the prosecution's account, the three men worked together to gather intelligence on their targets.

The court heard that the journalists in question worked for Iran International, a satellite television channel headquartered in London that broadcasts into Iran and frequently airs reporting critical of the Iranian government. Tehran has designated the outlet a "terrorist organisation," a classification that underscores the hostility the channel faces from authorities in Iran.

Jones told the jury that at least two journalists connected to Iran International were placed under surveillance. At least one of them, he said, was intended to be "subjected to serious violence" — described as retribution for the channel's output and as an attempt to intimidate and silence other critics who might otherwise speak out.

The prosecution said the evidence would demonstrate that the defendants visited addresses connected to their targets, photographed and filmed those locations, and conducted online research into the individuals they were allegedly monitoring. Jones characterised the activity as espionage in plain terms, describing the defendants as engaged in what was "very obviously a form of spying."

Beyond the journalists, the men are also alleged to have held a briefing document concerning Jonathan Turner, a barrister who was a founding member of a group called UK Lawyers for Israel. That aspect of the case suggests the surveillance may have extended to other individuals perceived as opponents of the Iranian state, broadening the scope of the alleged operation.

One journalist specifically named as a target was Mojtaba Pourmohsen. The court was told that images of him, his workplace and a hotel where he had stayed were discovered in a briefing document found on Sepahvand's mobile phone. Prosecutors further allege that Noori took photographs of the block of flats where Pourmohsen lived in Brentford, in south-west London, during December 2024, and that Sepahvand and Manesh also travelled to the location to take photos and video.

The prosecution alleged that Sepahvand has not denied involvement in the operation, but claims he took part only because he feared the consequences of refusing. Jones dismissed that explanation as "an entirely bogus claim," telling the jury that the true motivation was financial and that Sepahvand also sought to have a criminal conviction for theft in Iran "fixed" or resolved in exchange for his work.

According to the prosecution, Sepahvand was in contact with two men who used Iranian telephone numbers — a detail that prosecutors say points to direction from outside the UK. Manesh and Noori, meanwhile, are expected to argue that they did not realise they were conducting surveillance on behalf of Iran, according to Jones.

The court also heard background on how the defendants came to be in Britain. All three were granted temporary leave to remain after applying for asylum. They arrived in the UK at different times between 2016 and 2022. Sepahvand entered the country in 2016 concealed in a lorry, while the other two arrived via small boats crossing the English Channel.

The trial continues, and the jury will ultimately decide whether the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. None of the allegations has been established in court, and all three defendants maintain their innocence.

The proceedings are being closely watched as a test of how Britain's national security legislation is applied to allegations of foreign-directed activity on UK soil. The case also highlights the risks faced by journalists and commentators who work for outlets that are banned or reviled by the governments of their home countries — particularly those broadcasting in Persian to audiences inside Iran.

Iran International has previously reported threats against its staff, and the trial's focus on a broadcaster based in London raises broader questions about the safety of exiled media workers and political opponents living in Britain. If the prosecution's account is accepted, the case would represent a striking example of alleged state-linked intimidation reaching into the UK's capital.

The outcome will hinge on evidence including mobile phone records, photographs and video footage, and testimony about the movements of the accused. The court has been told that the men's alleged activities spanned reconnaissance visits, digital research and physical documentation of their targets' homes and workplaces.

For now, the trial at Woolwich Crown Court remains ongoing, with the jury expected to weigh a complex set of allegations involving international espionage, asylum, and the targeting of journalists whose work has angered a foreign government.