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Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service

Read the original at The Independent ↗
Cite

Margotin, C., Allingham, P., & Ng, E. (2026, November 12). Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/iranian-spies-mostafa-sepahvand-farhad-javadi-manesh-b3083860.html

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

The Independent · collected 2026-11-12 · by Clara Margotin, Pol Allingham, Ellie Ng

Quick Summary

Two Iranian men were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court for spying on a lawyer and two journalists for the broadcaster Iran International to assist Iran’s intelligence service. Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was convicted of surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March last year, while Farhad Javadi Manesh was convicted of providing assistance to the intelligence service. The prosecution highlighted that the defendants used photos, videos, and ChatGPT to research targets and were promised rewards for providing intelligence, with Sepahvand specifically intending to carry out a violent attack.
Written by AI on 2026-11-13, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).
See how they differ ↓

How they differ

8 outlets covered “Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists in UK”.

What each outlet says

One AI summary per outlet of its latest article on this story, written from that article alone and checked against it. Open the article for the outlet's own words.

The IndependentThis outlet12 Nov

Two Iranian men were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court for spying on a lawyer and two journalists for the broadcaster Iran International to assist Iran’s intelligence service. Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, was convicted of surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March last year, while Farhad Javadi Manesh was convicted of providing assistance to the intelligence service. The prosecution highlighted that…

Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service (this article)
Evening Standard12 Nov

Two Iranian asylum seekers, Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh, were convicted of spying for Iran between August 2024 and March last year. They conducted surveillance and reconnaissance, including using online platforms to research their targets. The convictions highlight Iran’s use of proxies to target critics abroad, according to prosecutors. Sepahvand was found guilty of planning a violent attack, while…

Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS →2 articles from Evening Standard on this story
Al Jazeera12 Nov

Two Iranian nationals have been found guilty of spying on British journalists who work for Iran International, under Britain’s National Security Act. One of the convicted individuals was also charged with preparing to carry out a violent attack. Iran has denied any involvement in these activities.

Iranian men guilty of spying on British journalists →2 articles from Al Jazeera on this story
The Straits Times12 Nov

Two Iranian men, Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh, were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of assisting Iranian intelligence by spying on dissident journalists for Iran International between August 2024 and March 2025. This case marks the first time Iranian nationals have been convicted under Britain's National Security Act, a law introduced in 2023 to counter sharply rising threats from foreign states…

Iranian men found guilty in UK of assisting Iranian intelligence →
BBC12 Nov

Two Iranian men, Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh, were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday for engaging in conduct likely to assist Iran's intelligence service. The defendants were found guilty of plotting to inflict "serious violence" on UK-based targets, including two journalists for Iran International and a member of UK Lawyers for Israel. The reporting highlights how the men conducted…

Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target UK-based journalists →
The Guardian12 Nov

Two men of Iranian origin, Mostafa Sepahvand and Farhad Javadi Manesh, were found guilty of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March last year to assist Tehran's intelligence services in targeting UK-based individuals. The defendants, who entered the UK illegally between 2016 and 2022, used social media, photos, and ChatGPT to research and monitor targets including two Iran…

Two men found guilty over Iranian attempts to ‘eliminate’ UK-based journalists →
Show 1 more outlets
Deutsche Welle12 Nov

A UK court convicted two Iranian men of spying on journalists for Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The men, in their 40s, were arrested last year and accused of plotting attacks against journalists working for the dissident TV channel Iran International. One was additionally convicted of plotting a violent attack, while the second faced but was cleared of those charges. The court's ruling reflects increasing hostile…

UK court convicts 2 Iranian men of spying on journalists →

Where they agree and split

Framing

How the first headlines put it

Stated as fact7
The headlines (7)

Iranian men found guilty in UK of assisting Iranian intelligence The Straits Times · stated as fact

Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target UK-based journalists BBC · stated as fact

Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service The Independent · stated as fact

Two men found guilty over Iranian attempts to ‘eliminate’ UK-based journalists The Guardian · stated as fact

Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS Evening Standard · stated as fact

UK court finds two Iranian men guilty of spying for Iran Al Jazeera · stated as fact

UK court convicts 2 Iranian men of spying on journalists Deutsche Welle · stated as fact

The full story: what happened, how it changed, and all 11 articles →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 20% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Two men found guilty over Iranian attempts to ‘eliminate’ UK-based journalists Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 0 of 36 claims Outlet record 65/100
Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS Same event
Evening Standard
Hedges 3 of 26 claims Outlet record 64/100
UK court finds two Iranian men guilty of spying for Iran Same event
Al Jazeera
Hedges 0 of 12 claims Outlet record 60/100
Iranian men found guilty in UK of assisting Iranian intelligence Same event
The Straits Times
Hedges 1 of 11 claims Outlet record 64/100
Iranian men guilty of spying on British journalists Same event
Al Jazeera
Hedges 0 of 4 claims Outlet record 60/100
Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS Same event
Evening Standard
Hedges 4 of 36 claims Outlet record 64/100
Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target UK-based journalists Same event
BBC News
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 66/100
Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists in UK on behalf of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Same event
Just The News
Hedges 1 of 6 claims Outlet record 94/100
Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists in UK on behalf of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Same event
Just The News
Hedges 1 of 6 claims Outlet record 94/100
US charges 3 men with plotting terror attacks at RAF Fairford and other sites Different event
The Independent
Hedges 1 of 19 claims Outlet record 59/100
“The articles describe different legal actions against distinct groups of individuals for separate incidents.”

Story

Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists in UK
Other · 11 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
10
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
20%
2 of 10 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
59/100
The Independent's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
11
Other
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-11-13 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Independent · 4342 article(s) · 10 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 10 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Clara Margotin
39 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
Manesh and Noori were acquitted of engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service
A veteran could be seen placing a cross of remembrance during the service, and Royal Navy officers saluted.
2026-11-11 · assertive framing · Nation falls silent in remembrance on Armistice Day
A veteran could be seen placing a cross of remembrance during the service, and Royal Navy officers saluted.
2026-11-11 · assertive framing · Nation falls silent in remembrance on Armistice Day
Kieran Kyle, 43, wrote to Mrs Badenoch’s parliamentary email address: “When I was in the IRA I would have shot you f****** dead,” Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.
2026-11-09 · assertive framing · Ex-teacher jailed for telling Kemi Badenoch: 'I would have shot you dead'
Mostly dry conditions forecast for next week as parts of UK still in drought Mostly dry conditions are forecast for the week ahead as parts of the UK remain officially in drought, forecasters have said.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Mostly dry conditions forecast for next week as parts of UK still in drought
One protester climbed a tree outside the embassy during the gathering and could be seen waving a placard reading “God help us.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action
“I hope the Supreme Court justices, they won’t necessarily be influenced by it, but I hope that they will take a long-term view of what is happening in this country and decide that the proscription was unlawful, as I believe it was.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action
The heavy fog warning is in place until 10am, but the forecaster said some patches of fog could last until the afternoon and people should be prepared for changes to weather conditions.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Yellow fog warning across parts of England and Wales
The heavy fog warning is in place until 10am, but the forecaster said some patches of fog could last until the afternoon and people should be prepared for changes to weather conditions.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Yellow fog warning across parts of England and Wales
One protester climbed a tree outside the embassy just after 5pm and could be seen waving a placard reading “God help us.
2026-10-31 · assertive framing · More than 100 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action
Also by Clara Margotin
Nation falls silent in remembrance on Armistice Day
2026-11-11 · Evening Standard
Nation falls silent in remembrance on Armistice Day
2026-11-11 · Evening Standard
Speaker and Lord Speaker lay Armistice Day wreaths as nation pays silent tribute
2026-11-11 · Evening Standard
Ex-teacher jailed for telling Kemi Badenoch: 'I would have shot you dead'
2026-11-09 · Evening Standard
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 39 articles by Clara Margotin →
Pol Allingham
45 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
The convictions of two asylum seekers for spying for Iran show its “willingness to use proxies to target the regime’s critics abroad”, prosecutors have said.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS
The convictions of two men for spying for Iran show its “willingness to use proxies to target the regime’s critics abroad”, prosecutors have said.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS
Manesh and Noori were acquitted of engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service
Judge Weekes added that Chowdhury has “suffered mental health crises”, telling the court: “There can, it seems to me, be few more crushing realisations than the fact of immediate custodial sentence being the most likely in the court’s mind, and the loss of all that he currently holds dear.” There, therefore, seems to be substantial grounds to believe he “may seek to harm himself or worse”, the judge said.
2026-11-09 · assertive framing · Fraudster job-juggling civil servant faces jail as world ‘collapses around him’
Sarah Melo, specialist prosecutor at the CPS serious economic organised crime and international directorate, said after the verdicts Chowdhury had “deliberately concealed the true extent of his employment so that he could obtain and be paid for multiple full-time jobs at the same time”.
2026-11-09 · assertive framing · Fraudster job-juggling civil servant faces jail as world ‘collapses around him’
Sarah Melo, specialist prosecutor at the CPS serious economic organised crime and international directorate, said after the verdicts Chowdhury had “deliberately concealed the true extent of his employment so that he could obtain and be paid for multiple full-time jobs at the same time”.
2026-11-09 · mixed framing · Civil servant convicted of fraud after juggling up to five Government jobs
The shamed comedian-turned-conspiracy theorist will spend the weekend in custody before he returns to the same court on Monday to learn his prison sentence.
2026-11-06 · assertive framing · Convicted rapist Russell Brand spends first night in cell and faces years more
Chief Inspector Rachel Noble, district commander for Eastleigh, said: “The violence witnessed on Saturday night will have undoubtedly been extremely distressing and concerning for everyone who was at the party.
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Also by Pol Allingham
Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS
2026-11-12 · Evening Standard
Pair’s spying conviction shows Iranian intelligence willing to use proxies – CPS
2026-11-12 · Evening Standard
Fraudster job-juggling civil servant faces jail as world ‘collapses around him’
2026-11-09 · Evening Standard
Fraudster job-juggling civil servant faces jail as world ‘collapses around him’
2026-11-09 · Evening Standard
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 45 articles by Pol Allingham →
Ellie Ng
15 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
Manesh and Noori were acquitted of engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service
The former BBC Radio 1 and Capital Xtra DJ also denied sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in Wandsworth, south London, in May 2004.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood denies further sex offences
Judge William Mousley KC told Digwa’s sentencing hearing in June that on the night of the murder, the killer had a small knife hidden from view called a kirpan, which is a strict requirement for Sikhs to have at all times and can be carried in public for religious reasons.
2026-11-06 · assertive framing · Henry Nowak’s family calls for changes to knife laws in emotional documentary
A firearm has been recovered, and a heightened police presence will remain in the area.
2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Police seek two suspects after officer shot in Nottingham city centre
Even the smallest bit of information could make all the difference to this investigation.”
2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Police officer injured in Nottingham city centre shooting
Even the smallest bit of information could make all the difference to this investigation.”
2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Police officer injured in Nottingham city centre shooting
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Tracey Connelly, now in her 40s, also told her parole hearing that she “hated every minute” of hearing about the “lifelong” pain and suffering of her victims, and that she would have pleaded guilty to historical neglect of her children if charges had been brought against her.
2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Mother of Baby P admits she can be manipulative as bid for parole continues
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2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Mother of Baby P admits she can be manipulative as bid for parole continues
Also by Ellie Ng
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2026-11-12 · Evening Standard
Henry Nowak’s family calls for changes to knife laws in emotional documentary
2026-11-06 · Evening Standard
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2026-10-18 · Evening Standard
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2026-10-18 · Evening Standard
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 15 articles by Ellie Ng →

Topics

CPS Iran Iranian London Persian

Subjects

Sepahvand PERSON · 4× Iran GPE · 3× Iranian NORP · 3× CPS ORG · 2× Manesh PERSON · 2× Iran International ORG · 1× London GPE · 1× Mojtaba Pourmohsen PERSON · 1× Mostafa Sepahvand PERSON · 1× Persian NORP · 1×

Narrative

Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, carried out surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March last year in a bid to inflict violence on “subjects” in the UK. These “subjects” included journalists for London-based Persian broadcaster Iran International, Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, and a founder member of UK Lawyers for Israel, Jonathan Turner. The defendants were accused of visiting addresses linked to their targets, taking photos and videos, and using platforms such as ChatGPT to research them online.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-13
Manesh and Noori were acquitted of engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others.
2026-11-13 · The Independent
Two Iranian men found guilty of spying on journalists and lawyer for Iran’s intelligence service · assertive framing

Claims (10 extracted, 2 hedged)

Two Iranian men have been found guilty of spying on journalists and a lawyer in conduct that was likely to assist Iran’s intelligence service. asserted
that → find → service
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, carried out surveillance and reconnaissance between August 2024 and March last year in a bid to inflict violence on “subjects” in the UK. These “subjects” included journalists for London-based Persian broadcaster Iran International, Mojtaba Pourmohsen and Kambiz Hosseini, and a founder member of UK Lawyers for Israel, Jonathan Turner. The defendants were accused of visiting addresses linked to their targets, taking photos and videos, and using platforms such as ChatGPT to research them online. asserted
defendants → carry → them
The prosecution said Sepahvand intended to physically carry out a “violent attack” against at least one of the targets, while Farhad Javadi Manesh, who was also convicted of engaging in conduct likely to assist Iran’s intelligence service, assisted in planning. asserted
who → say → planning
Sepahvand lent forward and held his head in his hands when they were found guilty on Thursday after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court. asserted
they → lend → Court
Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, was cleared of the same charge after jurors deliberated for 19 hours and nine minutes. asserted
jurors → clear → hours
Manesh and Noori were acquitted of engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that serious violence against a person in the UK would be committed by others. asserted
violence → acquit → others
Frank Ferguson, chief Crown prosecutor of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “This was a calculated operation to spy on those critical of the Iranian regime. “Sepahvand and Manesh were promised rewards to send intelligence back to contacts in Iran, and Sepahvand himself was willing to go beyond surveillance to commit serious violence against their targets. asserted
Sepahvand → say → targets
“Thankfully, the defendants were stopped before any attack could take place. uncertain
attack → stop → place
“Cases like this show Iranian intelligence’s willingness to use proxies to target the regime’s critics abroad. asserted
Cases → show → critics
“The CPS is alive to these ever-evolving threats and, through our work with Counter Terrorism Policing, stands ready to prosecute any hostile actors who might try and jeopardise our country’s security.” uncertain
who → evolve → security
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