British counter-terrorism officers have arrested seven Iranian nationals across two separate investigations. One of these investigations concerns a suspected plot to carry out a terrorist act at a specific site in England.
On Saturday, police arrested five men aged between 29 and 46. They carried out coordinated raids in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. Four of the men, all Iranian nationals, face charges under the Terrorism Act 2006. The fifth man, whose nationality remains undisclosed, was arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. All five men remain in custody as police continue searching several addresses across England.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, explained that officers are closely liaising with those at the affected location. He added that they are pursuing various lines of enquiry to understand the motivation behind the plot. Furthermore, they aim to assess whether there is any ongoing risk to the public.
While police have not disclosed details about the intended target or any items seized, they have emphasised the sensitivity of the investigation.
In a separate operation, officers arrested three more Iranian nationals in London on the same day. They held the men under Section 27 of the National Security Act 2023. This legislation allows arrests based on suspected threats from foreign powers.
Police clarified that the two investigations are unrelated.
These arrests follow repeated warnings from UK intelligence agencies about ongoing threats from Iran. In October, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum reported that security services had disrupted 20 potentially deadly plots linked to Iran since January 2022.
He further stated that Iranian state actors often rely on criminal proxies, ranging from international drug traffickers to low-level criminals.
