Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target journalists
A London court convicted two Iranian men of engaging in conduct likely to assist an Iranian intelligence service after entering Britain illegally. The defendants targeted UK-based dissident journalists and a lawyer as part of an operation orchestrated by Tehran. Prosecutors demonstrated that the pair gathered intelligence and monitored individuals for Iranian operatives, marking a significant escalation in foreign sabotage threats on British soil. The convictions lay bare the expansive reach of Iran's shadow operations across Europe, elevating security concerns for exiled media workers.
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- ✓ Two men were found guilty in the UK of spying for Iran over a plan to target journalists and a lawyer.
- ✓ The convicted individuals entered Britain illegally before engaging in conduct likely to assist an Iranian intelligence service.
- ✓ The operation involved monitoring dissident journalists and attempting to eliminate or target UK-based media figures.
What changed
A London court delivered guilty verdicts against two Iranian men for conducting espionage and targeting journalists on behalf of Tehran.
Live updates
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Two Men Found Guilty in UK of Spying for Iran
A London court convicted two Iranian men of engaging in conduct likely to assist an Iranian intelligence service after entering Britain illegally. The defendants targeted UK-based dissident journalists and a lawyer as part of an operation orchestrated by Tehran. Prosecutors demonstrated that the pair gathered intelligence and monitored individuals for Iranian operatives, marking a significant escalation in foreign sabotage threats on British soil. The convictions lay bare the expansive reach of Iran's shadow operations across Europe, elevating security concerns for exiled media workers.
Why it matters
The case highlights a growing pattern of foreign interference and transnational repression targeting dissidents outside Iran. British authorities have increasingly grappled with clandestine plots aimed at eliminating or intimidating critics living within the United Kingdom. This ruling exposes the methods used by foreign intelligence handlers who recruit operatives to conduct surveillance on Western soil.
What is confirmed
- Two men were found guilty in the UK of spying for Iran over a plan to target journalists and a lawyer.
- The convicted individuals entered Britain illegally before engaging in conduct likely to assist an Iranian intelligence service.
- The operation involved monitoring dissident journalists and attempting to eliminate or target UK-based media figures.
What to watch next
- Sentencing details for the two convicted men
- Further statements from UK counterterrorism officials regarding Iranian networks
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (18)
- www.iranintl.com — صفحه اصلی | Iran International
- www.justice.gov — United States Department of Justice
- www.yahoo.com — Yahoo
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com — Saudi Arabia Turns To Iran Amid Houthi Strikes, Dealing Trump A Major Gulf Blow? - Times of India Videos
- www.theguardian.com — AI godfather Geoffrey Hinton: ‘We’re creating alien beings. I’m willing to be selfish and choose humans’ | Donald Trump
- www.wral.com — Asian stocks advance following a rally on Wall Street and oil prices fall
- BBC — Two men found guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target journalists
- Sky News — Two Iranians convicted of spying for their country after entering Britain illegally
- The Times of Israel — Two Iranian men found guilty in UK of spying on dissident journalists
- Bloomberg.com — Iran Plot Against UK-Based Reporter Marks Shift in Sabotage Threat
- BBC — Two men guilty of spying for Iran over plan to target journalists and lawyer
- The Guardian — Two men found guilty over Iranian attempts to ‘eliminate’ UK-based journalists
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