Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, have been charged with spying on locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community, the CPS has said
Two men have been charged with spying on locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community for Iran.
Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, have been charged with “engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service” between July 9, 2025, and August 15, 2025, in London, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
The CPS added that the charges are National Security Act offences and relate to alleged activities on behalf of Iran.
Shahsavani, a dual Iranian and British national from north Finchley, and Farasati, an Iranian national from Edgware, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (19 March).
The charges follow an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London into alleged surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community in the London area.
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The investigation led to the arrests of four men, including Shahsavani and Farasati, on March 6. The two other men have since been released without charge.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for CTP, said: “These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act, which have come about following what has been a very complex investigation.
“Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock to gather and assess the evidence and we have liaised closely with colleagues in the CPS to reach this point.
“We fully recognise that the public – and in particular the Jewish community – will be concerned but I hope this investigation reassures them that we will not hesitate to take action if we identify there may be a threat to their safety, and will be relentless in our pursuit of those who may be responsible.”
She added that any concerns from the public can be reported to local policing teams or via national reporting tools such as www.gov.uk/ACT.
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have decided to prosecute two men for an offence under the National Security Act.
“Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, have each been charged with engaging in conduct that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July 2025 and 15 August 2025, contrary to section 3 (2) of the National Security Act 2023.
“The charge relates to carrying out activities in the UK such as gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets. The country to which the charge relates is Iran.
“We have worked closely with the Counter Terrorism Command at the Metropolitan Police as they have carried out their investigation. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
