Diplomatic Clash Follows Arrests of Alleged Iranian Spies in UK
Britain and Iran have escalated diplomatic tensions by summoning each other’s envoys after three Iranian nationals were charged with spying in the UK. On May 18, 2025, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that Tehran summoned the British chargé d’affaires, condemning the arrests as “unjustified” and “politically motivated.” The UK Foreign Office responded on May 19 by summoning Iran’s ambassador, Seyed Ali Mousavi, asserting that national security is a top priority and Iran must be held accountable.
The three men, Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, were arrested on May 3 and charged under the National Security Act for allegedly assisting Iran’s intelligence service between August 2024 and February 2025. They are accused of conducting surveillance to target journalists at Iran International, a London-based outlet critical of Iran’s regime, which Tehran labels a terrorist organization. A fourth man, arrested on May 9, was released without charge.
The accused, London residents who arrived in the UK between 2016 and 2022 via irregular means like small boats and claimed asylum, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 17. Sepahvand faces additional charges of intending serious violence, while Manesh and Noori are charged with facilitating violent acts by others. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized strengthening national security, citing 20 Iran-backed plots uncovered since 2022, including a 2024 stabbing of an Iran International journalist.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called the arrests “disturbing” but offered cooperation if credible allegations are proven, while another official dismissed the charges as “baseless.” Separately, five other Iranians were arrested on May 3 in a counter-terrorism probe, with four released and one bailed, highlighting heightened scrutiny of Iran’s activities in the UK. The case underscores ongoing concerns about state-sponsored threats and immigration policy debates.