Three Iranian men face charges under UK's National Security Act
Currently, the three remain in custody and were scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
Three Iranian nationals—Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55—have been charged under the UK's National Security Act on suspicion of activities likely to benefit Iran.
They were all taken into custody on May 3rd.
The alleged offenses occurred between August 14, 2024, and February 16, 2025, according to police statements.
Currently, the three remain in custody and were scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command described the charges as "extremely serious," highlighting that they follow a "complex and rapidly evolving investigation."
Three men have been charged with conduct likely to aid a foreign intelligence service, identified by police as Iran.
Sepahvand, from St John's Wood, London, faces additional charges related to surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research, with the alleged intent to commit serious violence against an individual in the UK.
Manesh of Kendal Rise, London, and Noori of Ealing, London, are also charged with conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, intending for others to carry out serious violence against someone in the UK.
A fourth man, aged 31, was detained on 9 May during the investigation but was released without any charges on Thursday.
The arrests were made under Section 27 of the National Security Act, which allows police to arrest individuals without a warrant if they are reasonably suspected of involvement in activities linked to foreign powers.
Commander Murphy stated that detectives have been working tirelessly since the arrests and confirmed that officers have been in contact with those affected.
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division, emphasized the importance of refraining from any reporting or online sharing that might jeopardize the legal proceedings.
The three men were arrested on 3 May, coinciding with the detention of five other Iranian men as part of a separate counter-terrorism inquiry.
The five individuals—two aged 29, and others aged 40, 24, and 46—were arrested in locations including Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester.
One has since been released on bail with a pending court date in May, while the remaining suspects were held under extended detention orders until Saturday.
Commander Murphy clarified that the two investigations are not connected.
Following the initial arrests, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described these operations as among the largest counter-state threat and counter-terrorism efforts seen in recent years.
