Two investigations included a response to “an alleged plot to target specific premises,” police said.
At least eight Iranian nationals were arrested over the weekend in two counterterrorism operations in the United Kingdom, suspected of plotting attacks against specific targets, including the Israeli Embassy in Kensington, west London.
British authorities feared the attack was imminent, describing the operation as one of the largest in recent years. Four of the suspects were arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism, while the other three were detained on suspicion of involvement in threats from a foreign power.
The arrests were carried out in several cities — including Rochdale, Manchester, Swindon and Stockport — by counterterrorism officers supported by military personnel. A video of the operation showed officers removing one suspect from a building in Rochdale. The suspects, aged between 24 and 46, remain in custody and are being interrogated until May 10. A fifth detainee was released on bail.
Yvette Cooper, the U.K.’s home secretary, described the cases as “some of the most significant state threats” Britain has faced in recent years. The intervention comes as the British government has placed Iran at the highest level on its foreign influence register, requiring Tehran to declare all political lobbying activities in the country.
The arrests have sparked intense speculation in British media, with some outlets suggesting that the Iranian suspects and another individual may have been just “hours away” from carrying out an attack at a synagogue in London — though authorities have not confirmed these reports.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the accusations, calling the claims “baseless and undocumented.” Alireza Yousefi, director general for Western Europe at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said that “the distasteful habit of some British officials in repeating baseless accusations undoubtedly harms bilateral relations and deepens the historical distrust of Iranians toward the British government.” Yousefi demanded immediate information on the reasons for the arrests.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed concern over the arrests and wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Iran was willing to cooperate in the investigations if “credible allegations of misconduct” were established.
Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence service MI5, said last year that since 2022, British officers have responded to more than 20 Iran-backed plots posing lethal threats to U.K. citizens and residents. These plots included assassination and kidnapping attempts targeting Iranian dissidents and media organizations operating in the country.
The tension between Iran and Britain has escalated further amid growing unrest in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to “conquer” Gaza, intensifying regional tensions with ripple effects on security in Britain and other Western nations.
This episode highlights rising concerns over Iranian activities on British soil and the broader consequences of Iran’s involvement in international conflicts.
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