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May 17, 2025 – Iran/UK –
British authorities have charged three Iranian nationals with planning acts of violence against journalists affiliated with Iran International, a London-based Persian-language media outlet critical of the Iranian government. The suspects—Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori—were arrested on May 3 and charged under the UK’s National Security Act with assisting a foreign intelligence service and conducting surveillance to support potential attacks.
According to prosecutors, the trio gathered intelligence between August 2024 and February 2025 in preparation for a possible attack on individuals associated with Iran International. The men had entered the UK between 2016 and 2022, each seeking asylum and granted temporary leave to remain. They now remain in custody following their court appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with a preliminary hearing scheduled at the Old Bailey on June 6.
The case has drawn sharp responses from both governments. Tehran summoned the UK’s chargé d’affaires, condemning the arrests as “illegal” and “politically motivated,” asserting that the detention of at least one Iranian citizen violated international norms. Meanwhile, UK officials have voiced alarm over the apparent threat to a free press and national security.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that such threats against exiled journalists in the UK will not be tolerated and highlighted the importance of safeguarding press freedom. The charges come amid growing concerns over foreign plots targeting dissidents and media workers on British soil. The UK’s counterterrorism police noted that the action was part of efforts to disrupt potentially dangerous international plots.
The case has also reignited political pressure within the UK Parliament to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Over 230 MPs and 330 peers have publicly backed the move, citing a series of disrupted plots—more than 20—allegedly linked to Iranian actors since January 2022.
The episode has spotlighted the risks faced by journalists working in exile, particularly those critical of repressive regimes. For many, the arrests underscore not only the perils of transnational repression but also the urgent need for stronger protections for media workers and dissidents abroad.
Reference –
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04eze3wv5go
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-18/alleged-iranian-spies-charged-in-the-uk/105305532
