Two Convicted of Iran Spy Operation in London

Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh have been convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of offences under the National Security Act. The two Iranian nationals carried out surveillance on individuals considered to be of interest to the Iranian regime between August 2024 and March 2025. Jurors heard that the men visited addresses linked to their targets, took photographs and videos, and conducted online research.

The targets included journalists working for the London-based Persian-language broadcaster Iran International, Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini. Also targeted was Jonathan Turner, a founder member of UK Lawyers for Israel. Prosecutors alleged that Sepahvand intended to carry out a violent attack against at least one individual being monitored, while Manesh assisted in planning the operation.

National Security Act Prosecution

The prosecution case centred on the allegation that the defendants' actions were likely to assist Iran's intelligence services. There was no dispute that surveillance activity had taken place, as reported by The Standard. Sepahvand, who resides in St John's Wood, north-west London, and Manesh, from Brent, denied the charges throughout the trial.

A third defendant, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, from Ealing, was cleared by the jury of the same offence. The case is considered one of the most significant prosecutions brought under the National Security Act, amid ongoing concerns about foreign state interference on British soil. The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service have highlighted the Act as a key tool in tackling such operations.

Sentencing to Follow

The jury returned guilty verdicts against Sepahvand and Manesh on Thursday. The pair now face sentencing at a later date. The court proceedings focused on whether the defendants' actions were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, irrespective of whether direct contact with Iranian intelligence officers could be proven, according to The Standard.