Seven Iranians arrested in UK terror raids

London

UK counter-terrorism police arrested eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, in coordinated raids across several cities on Saturday. The arrests are linked to a suspected terrorism plot targeting specific locations, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Five suspects, four of them Iranian nationals, were detained in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. The nationality of the fifth person has not yet been confirmed. Authorities believe these arrests are connected to a specific plot but have not released further details.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the investigation is still in its early stages. "We are looking into different leads to find out what motivated the suspects and if there’s any threat to the public," he said. Police are working with local officers and thanked various police teams nationwide for their help.

In a separate case, three more Iranian nationals were arrested in London on the same day. These arrests are part of a different investigation and are not connected to the earlier detentions. All three are being held while police continue searching properties tied to the operation.

Officials have not revealed more information due to operational sensitivity, but the arrests come amid increasing concerns about Iranian-linked threats in the UK. Since 2022, authorities say they have stopped over 20 similar plots. The UK has also sanctioned a criminal group based in Sweden, allegedly tied to Iran, accused of targeting Jewish and Israeli interests.

The Iranian Embassy has not commented yet.