by Temitope Oladeji
19/5/2025
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the United Kingdom’s chargé d’affaires to protest what it described as the “suspicious and unwarranted” arrests of several Iranian nationals in Britain.
In a statement issued late Sunday, cited by state media, Tehran accused the UK of levelling accusations against Iranian citizens without providing evidence, delaying notification to Iran’s embassy, and denying consular access actions it said were in breach of international diplomatic norms.
The Iranian government further alleged that the arrests were politically motivated and aimed at increasing pressure on Iran during a period of already tense relations.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office responded swiftly, confirming it had summoned Iran’s ambassador to London, Ali Mousavi, in light of the espionage charges brought against three Iranian nationals under the UK’s National Security Act 2023.
“The UK government is clear that protecting national security remains our top priority, and Iran must be held accountable for its actions,” the statement said.
The diplomatic row follows British police charges, filed two days earlier, against three Iranian men suspected of spying for Tehran’s intelligence services.
The individuals, Mostafa Sepahvand, 39; Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44; and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are accused of engaging in activities intended to assist a foreign intelligence agency between August 14, 2024, and February 16, 2025.
Prosecutors also allege they carried out surveillance and reconnaissance with the intent to commit or facilitate serious violence within the UK.
The three men appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. Their cases have been transferred to a higher court, and the next hearing is scheduled for early June.
The trio are among eight individuals arrested in May in two separate operations, which the UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described as among the largest of their kind in recent years.
Of the remaining five suspects, four Iranians are being held in connection with a counterterrorism investigation, while one man was released without charge.
As part of a broader strategy to safeguard national security against foreign interference, the United Kingdom government recently placed Iran in the highest-risk category under its Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).
The arrests take place against the backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Iran and major European powers, particularly over Iran’s nuclear activities.
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany, collectively known as the E3, have repeatedly criticised Tehran for its alleged failure to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
These three countries were signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, which aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief.
The deal was significantly undermined in 2018 when the United States unilaterally withdrew, leading to renewed friction and diminished diplomatic engagement.