Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
British media reported Wednesday that the Iranian nationals arrested in the UK over the weekend were allegedly planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in London. According to The Telegraph, the raids that led to their arrests took place just hours before the suspected plot was due to be carried out.
The dramatic raids occurred over the weekend, resulting in the arrest of eight terror suspects, seven of whom are Iranian nationals. In recent days, UK outlets have reported growing speculation that five of the suspects—accused of plotting a terrorist attack—had also been targeting a site connected to the Jewish community, possibly a synagogue.
live
Documentation of the arrest of one of the suspects in the "Iranian terror cell", in Rochdale
(Video: X)
The Daily Telegraph reported that the raid in which five of the suspects were apprehended on Saturday happened just hours before the planned attack was set to take place. The Daily Mail also cited sources describing the plot as a “major attack” that could have put lives at immediate risk. These sources added that the plot was not related to events marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, which culminate Thursday but began earlier this week with a military parade attended by King Charles.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded Wednesday evening to the arrests, writing on the social media platform X: “We are disturbed to hear that Iranian citizens have been detained by British security services. If credible allegations of wrongdoing are proven, Iran is ready to assist in the investigations. We call on the UK to ensure our citizens’ rights are respected and to guarantee them a fair legal process.”
British authorities announced two separate raids on Saturday. In one, five suspects were arrested—four of them Iranians—who were allegedly planning an attack on what was described as a “specific location,” though no further details were given. Hours earlier, three more Iranians were arrested in a separate operation. Authorities emphasized that this second group was not connected to the alleged embassy plot, and that a separate investigation is underway. According to The Daily Mail, the second group may have been part of another Iranian cell involved in espionage. They were reportedly arrested over concerns that news of the primary raid might cause them to flee.
The five men suspected of planning the attack, aged 24 to 46, were arrested in separate locations: Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. Four remain in custody and one has been released on bail.
In Rochdale, dramatic video captured images of about 30 heavily armed officers—reportedly including SAS commandos—storming a house around 7 p.m. Local residents told the media that masked officers escorted a shirtless man in his 40s from the home at gunpoint and ordered him to lie on the ground. In Swindon, another suspect was detained in broad daylight on a city street by masked security officers.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the two operations, which resulted in eight arrests, were among the largest counterterrorism efforts the UK has seen in recent years. Asked about potential ties between the suspects and the Iranian regime, she did not respond directly, but hinted at possible connections.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
“These significant operations and the ongoing investigation are of immense importance, and of course, Iranian nationals are involved in both cases. We support the police and security services in their inquiries and security assessments," Cooper said.
Iran has for years sought to carry out terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets, as well as Iranian dissidents abroad. Warnings about its activities in the UK have increased in recent years. Last year, the UK’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, revealed that since early 2022 it had disrupted at least 20 Iran-linked plots.
3 View gallery
Outside the home of a terror suspect arrested in Rochdale, UK, May 4
(Photo: Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Images)
One such operation attributed to Iran involved the stabbing of exiled Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati in March of last year. Zeraati, a presenter on the London-based Persian-language network Iran International, which is affiliated with Iranian regime opponents, was attacked outside his home in the British capital. Two Romanian nationals were arrested in their home country in December in connection with the incident and are now undergoing extradition proceedings to the UK.
The exposure of the new plot has renewed calls in Britain to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. The ruling Labour Party pledged to do so while in opposition but has yet to follow through. The Telegraph reported that some within the UK’s Foreign Office fear such a move could close a vital backchannel with Tehran, which is also used by the United States.
Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform Party, said the IRGC should have been blacklisted “years ago.” “I’ve got friends in the Middle East who are stunned we haven’t done it,” he said. Labour lawmaker Luke Akehurst also urged the designation, saying the recent raids highlight the “urgency” of such a step.