Three Iranian men charged under National Security Act

Vocabulary: 155, Words: 301

EPA The sign of Scotland Yard in Westminster in London,

1Three alleged Iranian spies have appeared in court charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that "serious violence" could be inflicted on them.

2Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all from London, appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

3They are accused of targeting individual journalists working for Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London.

4The three defendants were granted temporary leave to remain in the UK after claiming asylum. 5They arrived in the UK, including by small boats, between 2016 and 2022. 6Mr Sepahvand arrived in 2016 concealed in a lorry.

7They are charged with committing offences under the National Security Act between 2024 and this year. 8The three men were arrested two weeks ago.

9The trio are charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, namely that of Iran, in carrying out UK-related activities and knew or ought to have reasonably known their conduct was likely to assist a foreign intelligence service.

10Mr Sepahvand is also charged with engaging in surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research with the intention of committing serious violence against a person in the UK.

11Mr Manesh and Mr Noori are also charged with engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others.

12It is alleged they carried out surveillance with a view to locating journalists associated with Iran International.

13Iran International produces coverage that is critical of the current regime in Iran and has been proscribed in Iran as a terrorist organisation.

14The three defendants appeared in the dock wearing grey tracksuits flanked by eight guards. 15Mr Sepahvand was in a wheelchair.

16No pleas were indicated by the men. 17District Judge Annabel Pilling remanded them in custody to appear the Old Bailey on 6 June.

from BBC