{
  "id": 12388443,
  "title": "Three Iranian men on trial for spying on UK-based journalists, planning 'serious violence'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/three-iranian-men-on-trial-for-spying-on-uk-based-journalists",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T13:52:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-910793"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Three Iranian men stand accused of spying on British-based journalists and plotting serious violence against them in retaliation for criticizing the Iranian regime, prosecutors argued before a London jury on Tuesday. The trio, Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, are alleged to have surveilled journalists working for Iran International, a Persian-language TV station that is outspoken against Iran's government, from August 2024 to March 2025. Each man has denied two charges brought under Britain's National Security Act, designed to empower authorities to counter threats from foreign entities. Their trial commenced amid heightened tensions between the UK and Iran, with prosecutors alleging Iran has a history of targeting critics and dissidents both domestically and internationally. Prosecutors claimed the men meticulously researched the homes and locations of at least two Iran International journalists, capturing images and footage in preparation for an attack, with Sepahvand set to carry it out. The prosecution stated the trio's goal was to inflict serious violence on their targets, likely to silence and discourage others from opposing the regime. While Sepahvand admitted to knowing the purpose of his actions, his co-defendants deny this, claiming they were coerced or unaware of the true intent behind their surveillance activities.",
  "summary": "\"Eliminating hostile or critical voices... has effectively become a staple policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran,\" prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones told jurors.",
  "key_points": [
    "Three Iranian men accused of spying on British journalists.",
    "Surveillance of Iran International journalists from Aug 2024 to Mar 2025.",
    "Prosecution alleges intent to inflict serious violence against targets."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}