Two men who were arrested in London on suspicion of spying for Iran have now been charged, police have said.
Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian-British national, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, have been charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service.
The two men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges.
The pair were arrested and detained on March 6 as part of an investigation into alleged surveillance of locations and people linked to the Jewish community in the London area.
Mr Shahsavani and Mr Farasati were charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, between July 9 and August 15, in 2025, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act, 2023.
“These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act, which have come about following what has been a very complex investigation," said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Co-ordinator for Counter-Terrorism Policing.
"Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working round the clock to gather and assess the evidence and we have liaised closely with colleagues in the CPS to reach this point.
“We fully recognise that the public – and in particular the Jewish community – will be concerned but I hope this investigation reassures them that we will not hesitate to take action if we identify there may be a threat to their safety, and will be relentless in our pursuit of those who may be responsible.”
Two other men who were arrested on March 6 as part of the investigation have been released without charge.
“We have decided to prosecute two men for an offence under the National Security Act," said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division.
“The charge relates to carrying out activities in the UK such as gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets. The country to which the charge relates is Iran."
