Three alleged Iranian spies, Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, have appeared in court charged with targeting UK-based journalists. The three men from London are accused of committing offences under the National Security Act between 2024 and this year.
They were arrested two weeks ago and face charges related to engaging in conduct that could assist a foreign intelligence service, specifically Iran’s. The investigation involves surveillance and reconnaissance of individual journalists working for Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London.
Iran International produces critical coverage of the current regime in Iran, which has been proscribed in Iran as a terrorist organisation. The three defendants appeared in court wearing grey tracksuits flanked by eight guards, with Mr Sepahvand in a wheelchair.
District Judge Annabel Pilling remanded them in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on June 6. Cdr Dominic Murphy from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command described the charges as “extremely serious” and said detectives had been working around the clock since the men were arrested.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04eze3wv5go