Three alleged Iranian spies arrested by anti-terror police in London are accused of targeting journalists, as it is revealed that they claimed asylum after arriving to the UK by small boats and lorry.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, of St John's Wood, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44 of Kensal Rise and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, of Ealing, were arrested on May 3 under the National Security Act and have been charged with spying for Tehran.
The trio are alleged to have been helping the Middle Eastern country's intelligence service between August 14 2024 and February 16 2025, and are accused of targeting individual journalists working for London-based Persian language TV channel, Iran International.
All three appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, and it was revealed that they had been granted temporary leave to remain in the UK after claiming asylum.
They are said to have arrived in the UK, including by small boats, between 2016 and 2022.
