Iran summons UK envoy over spying charges

Tehran foreign ministry accuses British government of making ‘politically motivated’ arrests

Police search a house in Rochdale, England earlier this month after seven men were arrested during an investigation into spying. Getty Images

The British charge d'affaires has been summoned to Tehran following the arrest of Iranian nationals on spying charges, triggering a reciprocal gesture in London.

Earlier this month, British police arrested seven Iranian nationals in two separate operations. Three men were charged last week with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service.

The IRNA state news agency described the arrests as “politically motivated”.

“Following the unjustified arrest of a number of Iranian nationals in the UK … the British charge d'affaires in Tehran was summoned on Sunday,” it said.

“The responsibility for the inappropriate effects of such actions, which appear to be motivated by political motives to exert pressure on Iran, will lie with the British government,” a foreign ministry official was quoted as saying on Monday.

Three of the men appeared in court at the weekend and were identified as Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all living in London.

Seyed Ali Mousavi, the Iranian ambassador in the UK was summoned on instructions from the Foreign Secretary, a statement said.

“The UK Government is clear that protecting national security remains our top priority and Iran must be held accountable for its actions," it added.

“The summons follows this weekend’s announcement which stated that three Iranian nationals had been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service.”

Court hearing

No pleas were entered by the trio, who were all wearing grey sweatshirts. Mr Sepahvand attending in a wheelchair and Mr Noori hobbled into the dock.

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the British charge d'affaires. Wikipedia

Mr Sepahvand is also charged with engaging in surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research, and intending to commit acts, namely serious violence against a person in the UK.

Mr Manesh and Mr Noori are further charged with engaging in surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the UK, would be committed by others.

They were remanded in custody and will appear at a preliminary judicial hearing on June 6, while the other four men have been released from custody but still face an investigation.

The British Home Office said they were irregular migrants who arrived by small boat or other means, such as hidden in a vehicle, between 2016 and 2022.

The alleged spying took place from August 2024 to February 2025, according to UK police.

The British government has placed Iran on the highest tier of its foreign influence register, requiring Tehran to register everything it does to exert political influence in the UK.

After the three men were charged, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government would strengthen national security powers.

“I want to thank the police and security services for their continuing work on this very serious investigation, and for their immense dedication to protecting our national security and the safety of our communities.” Ms Cooper said.

“The charges that have been laid against these three individuals must now take their course through the criminal justice system and nothing must be done to prejudice the outcome of those proceedings.

“But we will also take separate action to address the very serious wider issues raised by this case.

“The police have confirmed that the foreign state to which these charges relate is Iran, and Iran must be held to account for its actions.

“We must also strengthen our powers to protect our national security as we will not tolerate growing state threats on our soil.

“As part of that process we will publish next week the results of Jonathan Hall KC’s review into the application of our counter-terrorism framework to modern-day state threats.”