Three Iranian Men Charged with Spying in the UK
LONDON (AP) – On Saturday, British police announced that three Iranian men were charged with espionage following an investigation by counter-terrorism officials.
The Metropolitan Police identified the individuals as 39-year-old Mostafa Sepahvand, 44-year-old Farhad Javadi Manesh, and 55-year-old Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori. They were charged with activities that could be linked to Iran’s intelligence agency.
All three men had resided in London after entering the UK through deceitful means between 2016 and 2022. They have been detained since their arrest on May 3 and are set to appear in court on Saturday.
Sepahvand faces additional charges, including conducting “surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research” with the intent to commit serious acts of violence against individuals in the UK. The other two men are also accused of participating in similar surveillance efforts.
The UK’s domestic intelligence agency has raised alarms about the increasing threats from individuals connected to Tehran.
Interior Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that the government plans to release a review next week regarding the application of UK counterterrorism strategies to address national threats.
“Iran must be held accountable for its actions,” Cooper stated. “We need to enhance our capabilities to safeguard national security, as we cannot overlook the growing threats on our soil.”
The police did not disclose any information about the potential target of the defendants.
Commander Dominik Murphy from the Metropolitan Police Counterterrorism Command described the charges as “very serious.”
A fourth individual arrested during the same investigation has since been released.
