Two Iranian men found guilty in UK of spying on dissident journalists on IRGC’s behalf

LONDON — Two Iranian men were found guilty on Thursday of spying on dissident journalists in Britain on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a case British police said reflected increasing activity by Iran. Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of two offenses, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, was convicted of one offense under ⁠Britain’s National Security Act. Police said the convictions marked the first time Iranian nationals had been convicted under the National Security Act, introduced in 2023 to counter threats from foreign states including Iran, which the authorities say have risen sharply.

Sepahvand was directed by the IRGC or “middlemen” for Iranian intelligence, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said, adding the case “highlights the continuing and increasing threat to the UK from Iran.” Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in spying or any such activity, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was “disturbed” by the arrests of Sepahvand and others in May 2025. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms Prosecutors said at the start of Sepahvand and Manesh’s trial last month that they had been carrying out surveillance on journalists working for Iran International, a Persian-language television station that is critical of Iran’s government, between August 2024 ​and March 2025.

Sepahvand was convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service and a second charge relating to what prosecutors said was a plan for Sepahvand to attack one or more of their targets. Manesh was convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service, but acquitted of the second charge relating to preparing for an attack. They will both be sentenced next month. Advertisement A third man, Shapoor ​Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, was acquitted of both charges.

For a number of years, British authorities have accused Iran of being involved in numerous plots and attempted assassinations in Britain using criminal networks and proxies, accusations Tehran has repeatedly denied. Most recently, Iran has been linked with a plot against a US-run military airbase in England. Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.

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