Woolwich Crown Court Trial (Iran International Assassination Plot, 2026)

Trial of Mostafa Sepahvand, Farhad Javadi Manesh, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori at Woolwich Crown Court from 5 October 2026. The three Iranian nationals, arrested by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) in May 2025, are the first persons prosecuted under the National Security Act 2023 (UK). They are charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service — identified by police and the Home Secretary as Iran's Ministry of Intelligence — between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025. Two defendants face additional charges under Section 18 of the Act for conducting surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research with the intention of facilitating serious violence against persons in the United Kingdom. The targets of the surveillance were journalists at Iran International, the London-based Farsi-language broadcaster, including Pouria Zeraati. All three defendants appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 17 May 2025 and were remanded in custody. A plea hearing took place on 26 September 2026; all three pleaded not guilty.