Three Iranian nationals, alleged to be regime spies, appeared before the Old Bailey on Friday over offenses under the National Security Act.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, were said to have targeted journalists for the independent media site Iran International - an organization which has been targeted by the regime multiple times in the past.

The three men were charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist the Iranian foreign intelligence service and engaging in surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research, with the intention of committing serious violence against a person in the UK.

The men arrived in Britain from 2016 to 2022 through migrant boats and trucks entering the country, according to Sky News.

The plea hearing for the alleged spies will take place on September 26, and a provisional trial date has been set for October 5, 2026, according to Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.

A police officer walks outside New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, in London, Britain March 21, 2023. (credit: PETER NICHOLLS/REUTERS)
A police officer walks outside New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, in London, Britain March 21, 2023. (credit: PETER NICHOLLS/REUTERS)
The suspects were arrested last month on the same day counter-terrorism police detained five other men, including four Iranians, as part of a separate operation. Those men were later released without charge.

Britain said it had summoned Iranian Ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi to appear at its foreign office over the alleged spies, while Iran summoned the British charge d'affaires in Tehran over the arrests of its nationals, calling the accusations "false claims."

Tehran’s attacks against Iran International

Pouria Zeraati, a prominent dissident Iranian TV presenter who survived a stabbing attack outside his home by attackers posing as Jerusalem Post journalists, hinted that he was targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds. 

Iran International, a Persian-language news channel based in London and broadcasting worldwide, focuses on news, culture, and sports, and is influential in Iran despite government jamming.

It temporarily moved to Washington in 2023 due to threats but returned to London later that year, and has faced accusations of being linked to Saudi Arabia while also being targeted by the Iranian government.

Metropolitan Police protected the media site’s offices in November 2022 after “credible intelligence” was collected, which suggested two Iran International journalists were in danger of attack.

Additionally, in early 2023, the network was forced to temporarily shut down operations in London, later restarting them in September, following an undisclosed threat. 

Zvika Klein contributed to this report.