Two Iranian men have been convicted of conducting surveillance on UK-based journalists and a lawyer on behalf of the Islamic Republic Guards Corp in a plot designed to inflict “serious violence” upon their targets.
In a press release published this week, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said that officers had successfully prevented harm from being “inflicted on one or more individuals” in the country.
The deputy assistant commissioner outlined the swift actions taken by the investigative team to address the threat.
“Following the arrests, the investigation team worked diligently and quickly to translate into English thousands of messages in Farsi and then used mobile phone cell site data to build a compelling record of the surveillance,” Evans said.
“The activity laid out in this case reflects a pattern of Iran targeting Persian language media in the UK, particularly Iran International.
“Indeed, this is the fourth case in recent years involving direct threat to Iran International journalists and we are working hard to keep them safe.”
The six-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court resulted in the conviction of Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Manesh for engaging in conduct likely to assist the hostile state organisation.
Sepahvand was also found guilty of carrying out surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research with the intention of committing acts of serious violence.
The surveillance took place between August 2024 and March 2025, targeting two journalists at the media organisation Iran International, a lawyer working for UK Lawyers for Israel, and a media production professional.
According to the Metropolitan Police, counter-terrorism officers discovered briefing documents on the suspects’ mobile phones that included addresses, vehicle details, photographs, and even the names of the victims’ pets.
Officers sifted through 534 GB of data, which included videos, images, and voice notes that were subsequently translated from Farsi.
The investigation revealed that Sepahvand took a leading role and frequently communicated with Iranian phone numbers linked to the IRGC, before passing surveillance instructions to Manesh.
In messages sent to his handlers in Iran, Sepahvand stated that he would be paid £150,000 for the job, and expressed his anticipation that the IRGC would sort out his previous conviction for theft in Iran.
Evans said that the threat level from foreign adversaries is increasing as they alter their strategies to operate via intermediaries.
“The threat from hostile states to the UK is increasing and Iran continues to adapt its approach to using ‘proxies’, we have seen examples of people who fly into the country to carry out criminal activity and then leave shortly afterwards, to using British nationals or, in this case, Iranian nationals with settled immigration status,” she said.
“People are often tasked via social media with the promise of large amounts of money, as seen in this case.
“However, the proxy takes on all the risk and will often only receive a fraction, if any, of the promised financial reward.”
She subsequently issued a direct warning to anyone considering carrying out activities on behalf of foreign states.
“So, our message to anyone being asked to carry out activity by foreign states, or even unknown entities online, is to think again,” she continued.
“As demonstrated in recent cases across the UK, Counter terrorism policing officers are working relentlessly to arrest those responsible for state sponsored criminality.
“Using the National Security Act, we can ensure those arrested for these crimes face charges that can lead to substantial prison sentences following conviction.”
Sepahvand, Manesh, and a third man named Shapoor Noori were arrested at their respective homes on May 3rd.
During the trial, Sepahvand admitted to carrying out the surveillance on behalf of the IRGC, but claimed he was acting under duress.
Manesh argued that he was merely taking photographs of properties because he was looking for a new place to live, and was subsequently found not guilty of a separate charge regarding the intention to commit serious violence.
Noori, who faced the same charges as Manesh, was found not guilty by the jury.
Sepahvand and Manesh will face sentencing on November 17th.