Five men, including four Iranian nationals, are being held by British authorities in connection with an Iran-linked UK terror plot targeting a specific location in the UK, according to the Metropolitan Police. The suspects were arrested during a coordinated counter-terrorism operation in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester early on Saturday morning.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the individuals, aged 29, 29, 40, 46, and one whose age and nationality remain undisclosed, were detained on suspicion of involvement in a serious plot. Police stated that the “affected site” allegedly targeted has been notified and is receiving police protection and support.
Multiple Arrests Amid Major Security Threat
The dramatic arrests included footage of armed officers apprehending a suspect in Rochdale with apparent support from military personnel. In Swindon, a man was seen being tackled by plainclothes officers after leaving a café. An eyewitness reported the officers ordered coffee and donuts before making the arrest.
On Sunday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the latest arrests reflect “some of the biggest counter-state threat and counter-terrorism operations that we have seen in recent years.” She confirmed that the situation is being treated with the highest level of seriousness.
Separate Iran-Related Arrests in London Under National Security Act
In a separate but concurrent investigation, three more Iranian nationals—aged 39, 44, and 55—were arrested in northwest and west London under Section 27 of the National Security Act. This provision allows for arrest without a warrant in cases where there is suspicion of involvement in “foreign power threat activity.”
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, stated the two investigations are not directly linked but are “significant” and “unusual” due to their scale and complexity.
Iranian Plots Pose Growing National Security Risk
The arrests follow heightened concerns over Iranian state-backed activity in the UK. In 2023, MI5 revealed it had disrupted 20 Iran-backed plots since January 2022. MI5 Director General Sir Ken McCallum described the threats as “potentially lethal” to British citizens and residents.
There have been renewed calls to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK. This would grant authorities expanded powers to target individuals and networks linked to the IRGC and impose harsher penalties.
Experts Call for Stronger Countermeasures
Nick Aldworth, a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator, emphasised the need for tighter border control and legislative clarity, particularly when foreign state-linked groups are involved. Meanwhile, terrorism law reviewer Jonathan Hall KC warned that the public underestimates Iran’s aggressiveness and called for broader use of legal tools and stricter monitoring of online activity used for radicalisation or planning attacks.
With the UK facing increasingly complex threats from state-linked actors, experts are urging a reassessment of legal frameworks and public awareness campaigns to address emerging risks.
