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Three Iranians went on trial in London for allegedly conducting surveillance on journalists critical of the Iranian government with the intent to harm them. The defendants—Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori—are accused of spying between August 2024 and March 2025 for Iran’s foreign intelligence service, under charges brought by the UK's National Security Act. Prosecutors allege that the trio targeted journalists working for Iran International and another journalist critical of Tehran, aiming to expose them to "serious violence" as retaliation for their criticism.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Three Iranian men, Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, are on trial in Woolwich Crown Court for allegedly spying on journalists working for Iran International, a Persian-language TV station based in the UK that criticizes Iran's government. The trio is accused of conducting surveillance between August 2024 and March 2025 to gather information about journalists' routines, including their addresses, workplaces, and personal habits, with the intention of physically harming them as retribution for criticizing the Iranian regime. Prosecutors claim that Sepahvand was initially intended to carry out a violent attack on at least one journalist. The trial comes amid heightened tensions between Britain and Iran over the targeting of critics both inside and outside the country. The defendants deny charges under Britain's National Security Act, which aims to combat threats from foreign states.
Written for “Iranians Spying Trial UK” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but 2 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 60846: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-06
In London three Iranians go on trial accused of targeting UK-based journalists opposed to the regime in Tehran
Opening the trial the prosecution alleges the three men were Iranian spies, conducting surveillance of journalists at a UK-based Persian news channel critical of the government in Tehran, with the intention of physically harming and intimidating.
asserted
men → go → intention
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, went on trial in Woolwich Crown Court on charges of engaging in conduct likely to assist Iran’s foreign intelligence service between August 2024 and March 2025.
asserted
Sepahvand → go → August
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said people criticize Iran “at their peril” and that Iran International, a London-based satellite channel, had “come under particular attack” for its opposition to Tehran.
asserted
International → say → Tehran
He reminded jurors that former leader Ayatollah Khomeini ordered the death of Salman Rushdie in 1989 for his novel “The Satanic Verses,” and noted the vicious 2022 stabbing of the author in New York.
asserted
Khomeini → remind → York
The three men have denied the two charges brought against them under Britain's National Security Act.
asserted
men → deny → Act
This new law was passed to give the British authorities additional powers to counter threats posed by foreign states.
asserted
law → pass → states
The trial of the three men has opened at a time when tensions between Britain and Iran have been rising.
asserted
tensions → open → Britain
Prosecutors say Iran has repeatedly targeted its critics and opponents both inside the country and abroad.
asserted
Iran → say → country
According to reports from the trial the three defendants had investigated at least two journalists working for Iran International, visited addresses linked to them, and taken photographs and video footage in preparation for an attack that Sepehvand was to carry out.
uncertain
Sepehvand → accord → that
The group is accused of spying on journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, both journalists for Iran International, as well as Jonathan Turner, a founding member of U.K. Lawyers for Israel, crown prosecutor Emlyn Jones said.
asserted
Jones → accuse → Israel
He added: "Their ultimate aim was that one of these individuals, and perhaps more than one, should be exposed to serious violence, an act which was undoubtedly in retaliation for their criticism of the Iranian government, and also intended to create fear and to try to silence others."
asserted
which → add → others
He told the court that all three defendants have admitted going to the locations and taking images, but they disagree over why they did so.
asserted
they → tell → images
AP news agency, citing the prosecution case, reports that Javadi-Manesh and Nouri have said they did not know their actions would assist Iranian intelligence, while Sepehvand has admitted he was aware of this but claims he was forced to act "under coercion or threat".
uncertain
he → cite → coercion
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