Four individuals have been arrested on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence services as part of a counter-terrorism investigation, according to the Metropolitan Police. Authorities said one Iranian national and three dual British-Iranian nationals were detained on suspicion of supporting a foreign intelligence service.
Police said the investigation relates to suspected surveillance targeting locations and individuals connected to Jewish communities in London.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the arrests were linked to an ongoing operation aimed at disrupting hostile activities.
She said the detentions were part of “a long-running investigation and part of our ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it”. Flanagan acknowledged that the arrests may cause concern among members of the public, particularly within Jewish communities.
She added: “We understand the public may be concerned, in particular the Jewish community, and as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the public should be reassured that Britain’s security and policing institutions remain highly capable of addressing such threats.
In a statement, she said the UK’s police and intelligence agencies “are world-leading” and would not hesitate to “take action to counter any threat to the UK”.
“They will continue to use the full range of tools and powers available to them to keep this country safe. They have the government’s full support as they carry out their vital work.”
UK Metropolitan Police
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy also commented on the arrests during an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, saying Iran plays a major role in global terrorism.
“Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism globally, and sadly, that is in effect in our own society as well,” he said.
“Our intelligence services and counter-terrorism police have thwarted lots of action over the last few years,” Lammy added, while praising the work carried out by security services and law enforcement.
The Community Security Trust, a charity that works to protect the UK’s Jewish community and monitors incidents of antisemitism, also issued a statement thanking police.
“Security is strong across the Jewish community,” the organization said.
Police confirmed that a 40-year-old and a 55-year-old were arrested at properties in Barnet, while a 52-year-old was detained in Watford and a 22-year-old was arrested in Harrow.
Search operations are continuing in Watford, Barnet, and at a property in Wembley. The four suspects were arrested under the National Security Act, legislation introduced in 2023 to modernize the UK’s counter-espionage laws and strengthen measures against foreign interference.
The arrests come shortly after Iran launched retaliatory strikes following a U.S.–Israel attack earlier in the week. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned Iran’s actions against regional partners and warned about threats linked to the Iranian regime.
“Even in the United Kingdom, the Iranian regime poses a direct threat to dissidents and to the Jewish community,” he said.
“Over the last year alone, they have backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on UK soil.”
Police also confirmed that six additional men, aged 29, 39, 42, 49, and two aged 20, were arrested at the same location in Harrow on suspicion of assisting an offender. All ten men have been taken into custody.
