Iran International journalists targeted, London court told

Three Iranian nationals went on trial in London on Tuesday accused of spying for Iran and preparing the ground for a possible violent attack on at least one journalist linked to Iran International.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Noori, 57, all pleaded not guilty at Woolwich Crown Court. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones told jurors the three were accused of conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service and had “spied on people of interest to the Iranian regime”.

Jones said the men undertook surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and February 2025, including visits to addresses linked to two journalists at the London-based Farsi-language news network Iran International. He said Sepahvand was allegedly earmarked to carry out any attack.

The prosecutor said the alleged objective was to locate and target the journalists and others, with the aim that one or more targets would face serious violence.

The defendants do not deny visiting the addresses and taking photos and videos. Sepahvand says he was coerced and acted out of fear. Manesh and Noori told the court they did not know their actions were meant to assist Iranian intelligence services.

All three men, who are from London, are charged under the National Security Act. Sepahvand is also charged with surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research with the intention of committing serious violence. Manesh and Noori are also charged with surveillance and reconnaissance with the intention that serious violence would be committed by others.

The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.