Two Iranian Men Convicted in Britain Over Surveillance of Dissident Journalists
A British court convicted two Iranian nationals of assisting a foreign intelligence service in a case involving surveillance of journalists at London-based Iran International.
By Evelyn Adeyemi ·
Two Iranian men were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, November 12, of spying on dissident journalists in Britain on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. British police described the case as an example of increasing Iranian activity directed at the United Kingdom.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was found guilty of two offenses under Britain's National Security Act, while Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, was convicted of one offense under the same legislation. Both men are due to be sentenced in December. A third defendant, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, was acquitted on both charges he faced.
The prosecution told the court when the trial opened in October that Sepahvand and Manesh had conducted surveillance of journalists employed by Iran International. The Persian-language television station has its headquarters in London and is critical of the Iranian government. Prosecutors said the surveillance took place between August 2024 and March 2025.
Sepahvand's convictions covered assisting a foreign intelligence service and a separate offense connected to preparations for an attack. Prosecutors said the latter charge concerned a plan for him to attack one or more of the people being targeted. The verdicts therefore covered both intelligence assistance and the alleged attack preparations.
Manesh was also found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service, but the court acquitted him of the second charge, which concerned preparing for an attack. His verdict differed from Sepahvand's on that count, while Noori was cleared of both alleged offenses.
Police said these were the first convictions of Iranian nationals under the National Security Act. Britain introduced the law in 2023 to address threats from foreign states, including Iran. Authorities say those threats have increased sharply, and police linked the significance of Thursday's convictions to that wider concern.
Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said Sepahvand had received direction from the IRGC or intermediaries acting for Iranian intelligence. She said the case "highlights the continuing and increasing threat to the UK from Iran."
Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations that it is involved in spying or similar activities. Following the arrests of Sepahvand and others in May 2025, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was "disturbed" by the arrests.
