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UK Summons Iran’s Ambassador Over Suspected Spying on Jewish and Israeli Sites in London

The move signals a sharper UK response to alleged Iran-directed surveillance that officials say targeted high-profile community and diplomatic locations.

Overview

  • Britain’s Foreign Office summoned Ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi after prosecutors charged two men under the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting an Iranian intelligence service.
  • Prosecutors told a London court that seized devices held a list of targets, including the Israeli embassy, the local Israel consulate, and a synagogue, tied to hostile surveillance last summer.
  • Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian-British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, were arrested on March 6 and were remanded to a hearing at the Old Bailey on April 17.
  • Police said two other British-Iranian men detained on March 6 were later released without charge, and counterterrorism leaders issued messages to reassure London’s Jewish community.
  • The government called Iran’s actions reckless and destabilising, while one outlet also linked the summons to a separate alleged attempt to enter the Faslane submarine base that remains under review after a man was released pending further inquiries.