Woolwich Crown Court convicted Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh of assisting Iran's intelligence service, while a third defendant was acquitted. Prosecutors proved the men surveilled targets by visiting addresses, capturing photo and video evidence, and utilizing online tools like ChatGPT to compile intelligence. According to authorities, Sepahvand was prepared to mount a physical attack against at least one individual. The case represents the fourth recent instance of state-directed threats targeting Iranian journalists residing in the United Kingdom.
Key points
Tehran is actively deploying proxy operatives to track and intimidate regime critics resi…: Tehran is actively deploying proxy operatives to track and intimidate regime critics residing within the United Kingdom.
British counter-terror authorities have now documented four recent legal cases involving…: British counter-terror authorities have now documented four recent legal cases involving state threats directed at Iranian journalists.
Hostile intelligence gathering increasingly incorporates accessible digital tools such as…: Hostile intelligence gathering increasingly incorporates accessible digital tools such as ChatGPT alongside physical reconnaissance to target victims.
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The pair were promised rewards to send intelligence back to Iran, while one was prepared to commit a ‘violent attack’.
Two Iranian men have been found guilty of spying for Tehran by a court in the United Kingdom after being accused of conducting surveillance on several people, including journalists for a Persian-language broadcaster in London.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, were convicted on Thursday following a six-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court in south London for engaging in conduct likely to assist Iran’s intelligence service in a bid to inflict violence on “subjects” in the UK.
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