Three Iranian men charged with National Security Act offences in UK terror probe

London, May 17 (IANS) The British counter-terror forces on Saturday said that it has charged three Iranian men with National Security Act offences

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service in carrying out UK-related activities and knew or ought to have reasonably known that their conduct was likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service in carrying out UK-related activities, contrary to section 3 National Security Act 2023.

"Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025, contrary to Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023," said Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.

The CPS said that criminal charges have been pressed against the three Iranian nationals following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Counter Terrorism Command.

"Mr Sepahvand has also been charged with engaging in conduct, namely surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research, between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025, intending to commit acts, namely serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom, contrary to Section 18(1)(a) of the National Security Act 2023," said Ferguson.

“While Mr Manesh and Mr Noori have also been charged with engaging in conduct, namely surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom, would be committed by others, contrary to Section 18(1)(b) of the National Security Act 2023," he added.

The Crown Prosecution Service stated that criminal proceedings against these defendants are now active and that they have the right to a fair trial.

The three men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Saturday.

The CPS operates across England and Wales, with 14 regional teams prosecuting cases locally. Each of these 14 CPS Areas is headed by a Chief Crown Prosecutor, and works closely with local police forces and other criminal justice partners.

--IANS

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