Several Iranian men arrested in England over an alleged attack plot

British counterterrorism officers have taken several Iranian men into custody over a suspected plan to launch an attack at an unnamed site in London, the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Sunday.

The arrests were made on Saturday across different parts of England, with five men between the ages of 29 and 46 held on suspicion of preparing “a terrorist act”.

Four of those detained are Iranian nationals, while efforts to confirm the identity and nationality of the fifth individual are still ongoing.

All five are currently being interviewed at police stations and have not been formally charged. Investigators are also carrying out searches at addresses in London, Manchester, and Swindon.

Authorities said the suspected plot focused on a specific location, the details of which are being withheld “for operational reasons.”

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Counter Terrorism Command, said police are still trying to determine the motivation behind the suspected plot, as well as whether there is any ongoing danger to the public.

In a separate case, police revealed that three other Iranian men — aged 39, 44, and 55 — were arrested in London as part of an unrelated investigation into a possible national security breach.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the arrests as a stark reminder of the need to remain vigilant in the face of evolving security challenges. Cooper said these are “serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats.”

She added, “The government continues to work with police and intelligence agencies to support all the action and security assessments that are needed to keep the country safe,”.

While no direct link to Iran has been established in the main case, domestic security agency MI5 has warned of a growing danger from individuals or operations with ties to Tehran.

In a statement last October, MI5 Chief Ken McCallum said that security services had disrupted 20 “potentially deadly” plots linked to Iran since 2022, many of which targeted dissidents based in the UK.

He also warned that rising tensions in the Middle East could cause more hostile actions from Iran in the UK.

In March 2024, Pouria Zeraati — a presenter at a Persian-language channel critical of Iran’s leadership — was stabbed outside his home in London. Two suspects were later tracked to Romania and arrested over the attack.

The UK’s national threat level for terrorism remains at “substantial”, meaning an attack is considered likely.