(BBC) Three alleged Iranian spies have appeared in court charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that “serious violence” could be inflicted on them.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all from London, appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
They are accused of targeting individual journalists working for Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London.
The three defendants were granted temporary leave to remain in the UK after claiming asylum. They arrived in the UK between 2016 and 2022. Mr Sepahvand arrived in 2016 concealed in a lorry. The other two arrived in small boats.
