UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Jewish Target Surveillance

LONDON — British officials summoned the Iranian ambassador on Monday in response to charges against two men accused of conducting surveillance on Jewish targets in the United Kingdom at the direction of Iranian intelligence services.

The men, identified as Nematollah Shahsavani, a 40-year-old British-Iranian dual national, and Alireza Farasati, a 22-year-old Iranian national, appeared in a London court last week. Prosecutors alleged they gathered information and performed reconnaissance on several sites over a five-week period last summer. The targets included the Israeli Embassy in London and Bevis Marks Synagogue, Britain's oldest synagogue, along with other Jewish institutions. The activities were said to have been tasked by Iranian spy services.

Neither man entered a plea during the hearing, and they were remanded in custody. Their next appearance is scheduled for April 17 at the Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal Court.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed the summoning of Iran's ambassador, Mehdi Hosseini Matin, as a diplomatic protest. In a statement, the office emphasized the seriousness of the incident. "National security remains our top...