Two Men Charged With Spying on UK’s Jewish Community for Iran

Two men have been charged with spying for Iran following a counter-terrorism investigation into alleged surveillance of the Jewish community in London. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a British-Iranian national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian citizen, were both charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service. The charges relate to activities carried out between July and August of last year, including gathering information and reconnaissance of targets linked to the Jewish community. Both suspects, who reside in London, were arrested on March 6th and are scheduled to appear in court. Prosecutors stated the investigation began prior to the recent conflict in the Middle East. Two other British-Iranian nationals arrested as part of the same investigation have been released without charge. Intelligence officials previously reported disrupting over 20 Iran-backed plots in the last year.