LONDON — Two Iranian men have been convicted in Britain of assisting a foreign intelligence service after a surveillance operation targeting journalists and other individuals, in a case prosecutors say highlights the challenge of responding to threats linked to foreign states.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, were found guilty following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court. The Crown Prosecution Service said the men had been working on behalf of the Iranian state. A third defendant, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, was acquitted of all charges.
Surveillance and national security law
Prosecutors said the surveillance took place between August 2024 and March 2025 and involved journalists working for Iran International, a Persian-language broadcaster critical of the Iranian government, as well as another target. The prosecution described the activity as an effort to gather intelligence that could facilitate violence.
Sepahvand was convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service and preparatory conduct. Manesh was convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service but acquitted of the preparatory-conduct charge. The convictions were brought under provisions of the National Security Act 2023, legislation designed to address threats from foreign states.
Iran and its embassy have denied state involvement and described the allegations as politically motivated, according to Reuters reporting. The defendants’ convictions concern the offences decided by the jury; the acquittal of the third defendant is an important part of the case record.
A broader European security concern
The case comes amid heightened concern among UK and European authorities about intimidation, surveillance and other hostile activity attributed to foreign states. Governments have increasingly warned that intelligence services may use intermediaries, criminal networks or individuals recruited online to conduct operations abroad.
For media organisations and civil-society groups, the case also raises questions about the safety of journalists working in exile and the protection of people who report on politically sensitive subjects. Security agencies and police must balance the protection of potential targets with the legal standards required to investigate and prosecute offences.
The defendants are due to be sentenced on December 17, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. The sentencing hearing will determine the penalties imposed by the court.
Sources: UK Crown Prosecution Service; Reuters.