Overview

• The trio – Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori – were charged under the National Security Act for allegedly assisting Iran’s foreign intelligence service between August 2024 and February 2025
• Sepahvand faces additional charges of conducting surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research intended to facilitate serious violence, while Manesh and Noori are accused of planning violent acts through others
• Prosecutors allege the men targeted journalists linked to Iran International, a UK-based broadcaster critical of Tehran
• Lawyers said they will plead not guilty when proceedings resume later this year
• A provisional trial is scheduled for October 5, 2026