British Police Bust Iranian Terrorist Cells in ‘Major’ Counterterrorism Operations

Latest Developments

• British Police Snare Alleged Terror Plotters: British counterterrorism police rounded up eight suspects, mostly Iranian nationals, in two separate counterterrorism sweeps on May 3. Five of the men, including four Iranians, are suspected of plotting a terrorist attack on an undisclosed target. British media reported that the plotters may have been hours away from conducting a “major attack” on a synagogue or another target linked to the Jewish community.
• 3 Held for Espionage: In a separate case, three Iranians suspected of espionage were arrested in London under the United Kingdom’s National Security Act of 2023, which is designed to prevent and prosecute threats from hostile states. The investigation focused on alleged links to Tehran and influence from the Iranian regime. British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper remarked that the arrests were “two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counter terrorism operations that we have seen in recent years.”
• Hostile Iranian Activity in UK Is Growing: Last year, the director-general of the MI5 intelligence agency, Ken McCallum, revealed that his agents had thwarted 20 “potentially lethal” Iranian-backed plots since 2022. In 2023, an Austrian man was convicted of conducting “hostile reconnaissance” against the London headquarters of Iran International — a media outlet opposing the Iranian regime. In 2024, a journalist with the outlet was stabbed in the leg outside of his London home.

FDD Expert Response

“The commendable response of the British police to this terror plot is also a reminder that the United Kingdom has yet to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The British government should do so now in the interests of defending its citizens and its national sovereignty.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow

“This latest plot shows Iran’s increasing desire to eliminate dissidents living in the West and its readiness to employ violent terror attacks to achieve its political and security goals. It is clear that even though nuclear negotiations are ongoing with the United States, Iran has no plans to rein in its state-sponsored terrorism campaign.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Congressional Relations, FDD Action 

FDD Background and Analysis

“Israel Warns of Threats to Israeli and Jewish Travelers Ahead of Passover,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran’s ties to Western organized crime networks,” by Janatan Sayeh

“U.S. Levies Sanctions Against Swedish ‘Foxtrot’ Gang With Ties to Iran,” FDD Flash Brief

“Targeting Iran’s agents of influence,” by Ben Cohen

“Iran’s Assassination Plots Against Jews Persist Despite the West’s Leniency on Regime,” by Janatan Sayeh