Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British chargé d’affaires in Tehran after British authorities accused three Iranians of assisting a foreign intelligence agency to operate in Britain.
The three men, residents of London, were arrested on 3 May and charged on 17 May.
Iranian media reported on 19 May that a British diplomat had been summoned to explain the arrests and the “baseless charges” against Iran.
British counter-terrorism authorities at the weekend accused Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapour Kalehali Hani Nouri, 55, of “acts likely to facilitate a foreign intelligence service” between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025.
Police said the foreign intelligence service in question belonged to Iran.
During the first trial, prosecutors noted that the three men acted against journalists based in the UK and linked to Iran International, a broadcaster critical of the Iranian government.
The charges came after police arrested eight people, including seven Iranians, in early May in two separate operations that were among the largest investigations of their type in recent years, according to Britain’s Home Office.
On 17 May, in a separate statement, police said four other men arrested as part of the operation had been released from custody, but the investigation was still ongoing. An eighth suspect was released without charge on 15 May.
Relations between Tehran and London have deteriorated in recent months after a British couple travelling in Iran were accused of spying in February.
The couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, were reportedly on a round-the-world motorbike trip when they were arrested in Iran.
British media reported that they entered Iran on 30 December via Armenia and intended to leave the country through the Pakistani border five days later. They stayed in Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan but never checked into a hotel in Kerman.
The British government, which advises its citizens to refrain from any travel to Iran, citing a “significant risk” of arrest, interrogation or detention, expressed “deep concern” about the allegations and said it was actively seeking the couple’s return.
Human rights groups have accused Iran of conducting “hostage diplomacy”, saying it uses foreign nationals and dual nationals as leverage in its dealings with the West.