Three Alleged Iranian Spies Stand Trial in London for Targeting Journalists

Three men accused of acting as spies for Iran are on trial in London, with prosecutors alleging they conducted surveillance on journalists critical of the Iranian government and plotted to inflict serious violence upon them. The accused, identified as Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, face charges of engaging in conduct that would assist Iran’s foreign intelligence service between August 2024 and March 2025.

During the trial at Woolwich Crown Court, prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones told the jury that individuals who criticize the Iranian regime do so at their own peril. He highlighted that Iran International, a London-based satellite news channel, has faced particular opposition from Tehran. Emlyn Jones referenced historical events, including the 1989 fatwa against author Salman Rushdie and his subsequent stabbing in 2022, to illustrate the regime’s alleged response to criticism.

“In this trial, we are concerned with steps being taken, here in London, on behalf of the Iranian regime, to target journalists and others considered to be hostile to, or even just critical of, the Iranian regime,” Emlyn Jones stated. He further alleged that the ultimate objective was to subject one or more targets to serious violence as retribution and to deter others from voicing criticism.

The prosecution claims the men surveilled journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, both associated with Iran International, and Jonathan Turner, a founding member of U.K. Lawyers for Israel. Court documents revealed messages between the accused that indicated detailed knowledge of Hosseini’s car and even his dog’s name, which the prosecution argued would have caused significant fear and psychological distress.

Messages presented in court suggested Sepahvand told an associate he would