Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target UK-based journalists

Two Iranian men have been convicted of spying for an Iranian intelligence service by carrying out surveillance on journalists and a lawyer in the UK. Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, were convicted of "assisting a foreign intelligence service" at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday. They were tasked by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with monitoring the targets.

Sepahvand intended to carry out a "violent attack" against at least one of them, while Manesh helped with planning. Sapahvand and Manesh were given documents that included pictures of targets, their work addresses, car details and names of pets. They used ChatGPT to carry out further research.

The pair, from west London, are asylum seekers who had been granted temporary leave to remain. Sepahvand arrived in the UK in a lorry and Manesh in a small boat. Sepahvand conducted surveillance and reconnaissance in preparation for inflicting violence on several "subjects" in the UK.