Four men have been arrested in the UK as part of a counter-terrorism investigation connected to Iran, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.
Police said one Iranian national and three dual British-Iranian nationals were detained on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The inquiry relates to the suspected surveillance of locations and individuals connected to Jewish communities in London.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the arrests as part of “a long-running investigation and part of our ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it.” She urged the public, particularly the Jewish community, to remain vigilant and report any concerns to the authorities.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood sought to reassure the public that the UK’s police and security services “are world leading” and would continue to take all necessary action to counter threats to the country.
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism globally and sadly, that is in effect in our own society as well. Our intelligence services and counter-terrorism police have thwarted lots of action over the last few years.”
The Community Security Trust, a charity that protects Britain’s Jewish community and monitors antisemitism, thanked the police for their work and said security remains strong across the community.
The four men arrested are aged 22, 40, 52, and 55, and were taken into custody at addresses in Barnet, Watford, and Harrow. Searches are ongoing at locations in Watford, Barnet, and Wembley.
All were detained under the National Security Act 2023, designed to modernise counter-spying laws and combat foreign interference.
Following retaliatory strikes by Iran after a US-Israel attack over the weekend, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned Tehran’s actions and warned that the Iranian regime poses a “direct threat to dissidents and to the Jewish community” in the UK. He added that in the last year, Iran has backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on British soil.
In addition, six other men aged 20, 29, 39, 42, and 49 were arrested in Harrow on suspicion of assisting an offender. All ten men remain in custody.
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