Two Men Appear in London Court Over Alleged Iran-Linked Surveillance

Two men appeared Thursday in a London court accused of carrying out hostile surveillance of Israeli and Jewish targets in Britain on behalf of Iranian intelligence services.

Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian-British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on charges linked to reconnaissance activities allegedly directed by Iran. Prosecutors say the case involves surveillance of some of the most sensitive Israeli and Jewish sites in London.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the two men were charged under Section 3(2) of the UK National Security Act 2023 with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors say the foreign state involved in the alleged operation was Iran.

Authorities allege the activity took place between July 9 and August 15, 2025, during which the suspects gathered information and conducted reconnaissance of locations connected to the Israeli and Jewish community.

In court, prosecutor Louise Attrill said the men “are suspected of assisting the Iranian intelligence service by conducting hostile surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Israeli and Jewish community.”

Attrill told the court that electronic devices seized from the suspects allegedly contained a list of targets connected to the surveillance operation. According to the prosecution, those targets included the Israeli Embassy in London, the Israeli Consulate, Bevis Marks Synagogue , Britain’s oldest synagogue, a Jewish community center, and the Community Security Trust, an organization that provides security advice to Jewish institutions across the country.

Prosecutors said the evidence suggested Shahsavani had received instructions from Iranian intelligence services and then directed Farasati to conduct surveillance of the locations.

The court also heard that Shahsavani had traveled to Iran in April 2025. When he returned to Britain in August, he was stopped by authorities under counter-terrorism powers, prosecutors said.

Both men were arrested earlier this month by Counter Terrorism Policing London as part of an investigation into suspected foreign intelligence activity. Two additional men detained during the operation were later released without charge.

British counter-terrorism officials said the charges reflect serious national-security concerns. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said: “These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act.”

The case comes amid growing concern among British security officials about Iranian intelligence activity targeting dissidents, Jewish institutions, and Israeli interests in Europe. In October 2025, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said British authorities had disrupted more than 20 “potentially lethal Iran-backed plots” in the United Kingdom over the previous year.

The investigation into the alleged surveillance operation remains ongoing as the case moves to the next stage of court proceedings.