Two men accused of spying on Jewish community for Iran appear in court

Two men accused of carrying out "hostile" surveillance on London's Jewish community on behalf of Iran have appeared in court.

Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, are accused of spying on the Israeli Embassy, a synagogue in London and other Jewish organisations.

A woman living in the UK, who has been accused of being a Mossad agent, is also alleged to have been targeted.

Both defendants are facing a charge of engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July and 15 August last year.

Prosecutor Louise Attrill said they "are suspected of assisting the Iranian intelligence service by conducting hostile surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Israeli and the Jewish community".

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The alleged surveillance targets included the Israeli Embassy, the Israeli Consulate, London's Bevis Marks Synagogue, a Jewish community centre, and the Community Security Trust - a charity that provides security advice.

Delivery driver Shahsavani and Farasati appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

They did not enter a plea to a single charge under the National Security Act 2023 and were remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing at the Old Bailey on 17 April.

Shahsavani, wearing a blue puffa jacket, was seen blowing a kiss towards the public gallery as he was led away to the cells.

He is alleged to have "tasked" Farasati "to conduct the surveillance activity against Israeli and Jewish sites and possible targets linked to the Iranian intelligence service".

The pair are accused of "gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets", when they "knew or ought to have known their conduct was likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service".

Shahsavani, a father-of-two of North Finchley, north London, is a dual Iranian and British national and has lived in the UK since 2009.

Farasati, of Colindale, north west London, who is a trained barber, is an Iranian national and moved to the UK as a 17-year-old in 2021.

(c) Sky News 2026: Two men accused of spying on Jewish community for Iran appear in court