The UK authorities has summoned Iran’s ambassador in response to 3 Iranian nationals being charged below the Nationwide Safety Act.
The three males have been charged with spying offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom over the weekend.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are alleged to have focused journalists working for Iran Worldwide, an unbiased media organisation primarily based in London.
Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi, has now been summoned to the Overseas Workplace, the federal government stated on Monday.
“The UK government is clear that protecting national security remains our top priority and Iran must be held accountable for its actions,” an announcement learn.
“The summons follows this weekend’s announcement which stated that three Iranian nationals had been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service.”
Sepahvand, Manesh and Noori are accused of “engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service” between August 2024 and February 2025, following an investigation by counter-terror police.
They’re alleged to have arrived within the UK by “irregular means”, together with small boats and a lorry, earlier than claiming asylum.
Sepahvand can be charged with participating in surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source analysis, desiring to commit acts, specifically severe violence towards an individual within the UK.
Manesh and Noori are additional charged with participating in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, specifically severe violence towards an individual within the UK, can be dedicated by others.
‘Extremely serious’
Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the costs as “extremely serious”.
“Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock and we have worked closely with colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to reach this point,” he stated on the weekend.
“Now that these men have been charged, I would urge people not to speculate about this case, so that the criminal justice process can run its course.”
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The trio have been arrested on 3 Might, the identical day 5 different Iranian nationals have been additionally arrested, in a separate, unrelated probe into an alleged plot reportedly focusing on the Israeli embassy.
4 of these 5 have been launched from custody on Saturday, whereas the fifth was launched on bail with circumstances.
Sepahvand, Manesh and Noori are as a consequence of seem on the Previous Bailey on 6 June.
