Summary
Britain and Iran have summoned each other’s diplomats following the charging of three Iranian men—Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori—with spying for Iran while residing in the UK. The arrests, made on May 3, are linked to alleged surveillance efforts targeting journalists from the critical news outlet Iran International. In response to the charges, UK officials emphasized their commitment to national security and the need for accountability, as additional Iranian arrests were also made in a separate counter-terrorism investigation.