Two Iranians convicted in London of spying on Iran International journalists for the IRGC, a first under Britain's National Security Act

Two Iranian men were found guilty Thursday of spying on dissident journalists in Britain on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, The Jerusalem Post reports, citing Reuters.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court of assisting a foreign intelligence service and of a second charge tied to what prosecutors called a plan to attack one or more of his targets. Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, was convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service but acquitted of preparing an attack. A third man, Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, was acquitted of both charges. Sentencing is set for next month.

Prosecutors said the men carried out surveillance between August 2024 and March 2025 on journalists at Iran International, the London-based Persian-language channel critical of the regime, on behalf of Iran's foreign intelligence service, "as retribution for their criticism of the Iranian regime."

British police said it is the first time Iranian nationals have been convicted under the National Security Act, passed in 2023 to counter rising threats from hostile states. Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said Sepahvand was directed by the IRGC or "middlemen" for Iranian intelligence, and that the case "highlights the continuing and increasing threat to the UK from Iran."

Iran has repeatedly denied spying. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was "disturbed" by the arrests in May 2025.