A high-stakes trial has begun in London involving three Iranian men accused of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance on behalf of Tehran. Prosecutors allege that Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Manesh, and Shapoor Noori spent months gathering information on individuals deemed hostile to the Iranian regime, including journalists at the London-based outlet Iran International and lawyer Jonathan Turner. According to the prosecution, the group’s activities were not merely observational; they were intended to facilitate acts of serious violence as a form of retribution against those critical of the Iranian government.

While the three defendants have pleaded not guilty, the prosecution has dismissed claims of coercion, particularly regarding Sepahvand, who reportedly sought a substantial payout of £150,000 to carry out attacks. Evidence presented to the jury includes voice notes and mobile phone data that allegedly track the men visiting the residences of targeted journalists, such as Kambiz Hosseini and Mojtaba Pourmohsen. As the trial progresses under the National Security Act, the court aims to determine the extent of the men's coordination with Iranian intelligence and their specific intentions to silence critics through physical intimidation.