British counterterrorism authorities have thwarted a suspected terror plot aimed at the Israeli embassy in Kensington, London, by arresting five Iranian nationals in coordinated operations across England. The suspects, detained in locations including west London, Swindon, Rochdale, Stockport, and Manchester, were reportedly in the final stages of planning the attack, potentially only hours from execution.
In a separate operation, three more Iranian men were also arrested in London under the National Security Act for suspected involvement in foreign power threat activity. Security Minister Dan Jarvis described the arrests as among the largest in recent counterterrorism efforts, emphasizing the complexity and interconnected nature of current threats involving terrorism, state actors, and organized crime.
One of the five suspects has been released on bail under strict conditions. The operation was triggered by concerns over an imminent attack, and further arrests of three more Iranian men under the National Security Act suggest they were working for a foreign state, believed to be Iran.
Iran’s foreign minister, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, denied any involvement and criticized the UK’s lack of diplomatic engagement. The plot unfolds amid rising Middle East tensions, with Israel taking aggressive actions against Iranian-backed groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. Despite weakening Iran’s regional influence, these developments come as Iran is reportedly close to building a nuclear bomb.