A London jury convicted Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh of spying for Iran after a six-week trial involving surveillance of journalists. A third defendant was acquitted. Prosecutors said Sepahvand was prepared to carry out violence against a target. Sentencing for the two convicted men is scheduled for 17 December at the Old Bailey.
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court, a criminal court in south London, convicted Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh on 12 November of conduct likely to assist Iran’s intelligence service. The six-week trial concerned surveillance of people living in Britain, including journalists working for Iran International, a Persian-language broadcaster. A third defendant, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, was acquitted of all charges.[1], [2]
Frank Ferguson, a senior prosecutor at Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, said the men had been promised rewards for sending intelligence to Iran. He said Sepahvand was willing to progress from surveillance to a violent attack against at least one target. Prosecutors described visits to addresses associated with the targets and the taking of photographs and videos. The account of intended violence was the prosecution’s assessment.[1]
Those monitored included Iran International journalists Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini. Iran International is banned by the Iranian government. London’s Metropolitan Police said this was the fourth case in recent years involving direct threats against Iranian journalists in Britain. The two convicted men are due to be sentenced on 17 December at London’s Central Criminal Court, commonly known as the Old Bailey.[1]
