Two men charged with spying for the Iranian intelligence service on members of London's Jewish community pleaded not guilty on Friday. Nematollah Shahsavani, 41, and Alireza Farasati, 22, will face a three-week jury trial in April next year on charges of engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service in the UK under the National Security Act.
Prosecutors allege that the two men conducted hostile surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Israeli and Jewish community between July 2025 and August 2025. According to the allegations, they were aware that their conduct could help an Iranian intelligence service. The charges reflect the government's continued focus on foreign interference threats under the National Security Act, which was introduced to tackle state-backed activity on British soil.
Shahsavani and Farasati, both London residents, were arrested in March 2026 and remain in jail. Their case is part of a broader pattern of concern among UK authorities about Iranian-linked activity targeting dissidents, diaspora communities and Jewish institutions in the country.
The defendants have denied the charges, and the trial is expected to test the prosecution's evidence of hostile surveillance and intent. Further hearings may be scheduled before the April trial date.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing