In a significant diplomatic escalation, Britain and Iran have summoned each other’s envoys following the arrest of three Iranian nationals charged with espionage in the UK. The three men, arrested on May 3, faced a London court where they were formally accused of spying for the Islamic Republic.
Diplomatic tensions rise over spying allegations
According to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, the British chargé d’affaires was summoned on Sunday to explain what Tehran described as “unjustified” and “politically motivated” arrests. In response, the UK Foreign Office summoned Iran’s ambassador to the UK on Monday, intensifying the already strained relations between the two nations.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper addressed Parliament, emphasizing that the UK would “not tolerate growing state-backed threats on UK soil.” She affirmed that steps would be taken to draft new powers aimed at combating such threats. “I can confirm the Iranian ambassador has been summoned and [Foreign Secretary David Lammy] is raising with Iranian foreign minister in the strongest terms that the UK will not accept any Iranian state threat activity in the UK,” she stated.
Details of the espionage charges
The Foreign Office reiterated its commitment to national security, asserting that Iran must be held accountable for its actions. The recent developments followed the announcement that the three Iranian men had been charged with activities likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, with the Metropolitan Police stating that the alleged espionage occurred between August 2024 and February 2025.
The suspects have been identified as Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all residing in London. They reportedly entered the UK between 2016 and 2022 and were granted temporary leave to remain after claiming asylum. Allegations suggest that they conducted surveillance with the intent of targeting journalists affiliated with Iran International, a media outlet critical of the Iranian regime, which has been designated a terrorist organization in Iran.
Cooper highlighted that the charges against the Iranian nationals coincided with “a series of grave wider issues,” including a rise in Iran-linked operations within the UK and a nearly 50% increase in MI5 investigations into state threats over the past year. “The Iranian regime poses an unacceptable threat to our domestic security which cannot continue,” she asserted.
Additionally, on May 5, five other Iranian men were arrested in various UK cities as part of a separate counter-terrorism operation. Four of these individuals, initially detained on suspicion of planning a terrorist act, have since been released, although the investigation remains active. The fifth man was released on bail and is expected to return to court in May.