Two men found guilty of helping Iranian spy operation targeting UK-based critics

Two Iranian nationals have been found guilty of carrying out activities likely to assist Iran's intelligence service after conducting surveillance on targets in the UK, including journalists based in London.Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of offences under the National Security Act following a trial into an alleged Iran-linked operation.Jurors heard the pair carried out surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March 2025 on individuals considered to be of interest to the Iranian regime.Their targets included journalists working for London-based Persian-language broadcaster Iran International, Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, as well as Jonathan Turner, a founder member of UK Lawyers for Israel.Read MoreThe prosecution said the men visited addresses linked to their targets, took photographs and videos, and carried out online research using internet tools including ChatGPT.Prosecutors alleged Sepahvand intended to carry out a "violent attack" against at least one of the individuals being monitored, while Manesh assisted in planning the operation.The court heard there was no dispute that surveillance activity had taken place. The prosecution case centred on the allegation that the defendants were acting in a way that was likely to assist Iran's intelligence services.Sepahvand, of St John's Wood, north-west London, and Manesh, of Brent, denied the charges.A third defendant, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, of Ealing, was cleared by the jury of the same offence.During the trial, prosecutors said the operation involved gathering intelligence on individuals viewed as opponents or critics of the Iranian regime.The case is one of the most significant prosecutions brought under the National Security Act and comes amid continuing concern about alleged hostile activities by foreign states on British soil.Earlier in the trial, jurors were told that journalists working for Iran International had faced threats linked to their reporting and coverage of events in Iran.The broadcaster has previously been the subject of security concerns because of its reporting on the Iranian government.Following deliberations, jurors returned guilty verdicts against Sepahvand and Manesh on Thursday.The pair now face sentencing at a later date.The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service have previously described the National Security Act as a key tool in tackling foreign interference and operations linked to hostile states operating in the UK.The case was heard at Woolwich Crown Court, where proceedings focused on whether the defendants' actions were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, regardless of whether direct contact with Iranian intelligence officers could be proven.Both men were convicted, while Noori was acquitted.