The Metropolitan Police have arrested three Iranian men for alleged espionage activities in the UK, raising alarms about foreign interference.
Three Iranians Charged with Espionage Activities in Britain
Three Iranians Charged with Espionage Activities in Britain
Concerns mount over Iranian intelligence operations targeting British residents.
The Metropolitan Police took decisive action on May 3, arresting three Iranian nationals accused of collaborating with Iran's intelligence services to target individuals residing in Britain. Mostafa Sepahvand, 39; Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44; and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, faced charges under the National Security Act that link them to activities intended to assist a foreign intelligence service between August 14 of the previous year and February 16 of this year.
During their court appearance in London on Saturday, it was revealed that the trio was allegedly engaged in surveillance and reconnaissance that could lead to significant violence against an undisclosed target. The issue comes amid rising fears regarding the actions of Iranian operatives in the UK, particularly following reports about targeted harassment of journalists working for the independent Persian-language media outlet, Iran International, which has been critical of the Iranian regime.
The three individuals reportedly entered the UK illegally between 2016 and 2022, with two having crossed the English Channel in small boats from France. Yvette Cooper, the UK’s Home Secretary, stated, "The charges that have been laid against these three individuals must now take their course through the criminal justice system, and nothing must be done to prejudice the outcome of those proceedings." She emphasized the necessity for the UK to address the overarching concerns raised by the case and reaffirmed the government’s stance on not tolerating increasing state threats on British soil.
In light of these arrests, Ken McCallum, the director of MI5, has highlighted Iran as a growing threat to British national security, noting that security services have been reviewing 20 Iranian-backed plots since January 2022 that posed significant risks to British citizens and residents.
