British counter-terrorism police have arrested eight men in two separate investigations, with seven of them identified as Iranian nationals, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.
In the first operation on Saturday, five men were detained on suspicion of terrorism offenses involving a plot targeting a specific premise. Four suspects are Iranian nationals aged between 29 and 40, while the fifth man’s nationality remains undisclosed. The arrests took place in multiple locations, including Swindon, West London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester.
“We are exploring various lines of inquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of London police’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Police confirmed they are in contact with the targeted site to provide support but withheld further details for operational reasons.
In a separate, unconnected counter-terrorism investigation, three Iranian nationals aged between 39 and 55 were arrested in London. These individuals were detained under the National Security Act of 2023 for suspected involvement in foreign power threat activities. Searches at their addresses are ongoing.
These arrests come amid heightened scrutiny of Iran-backed activities in Britain. The UK’s domestic spy chief, Ken McCallum, previously stated that since 2022, officers had responded to 20 Tehran-backed plots potentially posing lethal threats to UK citizens and residents.
Recent incidents include the 2023 conviction of an Austrian national for conducting “hostile reconnaissance” against Iran International, a broadcaster critical of Iran’s government, and the stabbing of a British journalist of Iranian origin who worked for the same outlet.
The UK government has placed Iran on the highest tier of its foreign influence register, requiring documentation of all Iranian activities aimed at exerting political influence in the country.
The Iranian Embassy in London did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
About the author
US and UK Reach Limited Trade Deal While 10% Tariffs Remain
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a limited bilateral trade agreement on Thursday that maintains Trump's 10% tariffs on British exports while expanding agricultural access and reducing steep US duties on British automobile exports. The "general terms" agreement marks the first of numerous tariff-adjusting deals Trump expects to finalize in the coming weeks. It follows his implementation of new import taxes aimed at addressing the $1.2 trillion US goods trade deficit. Trump celebrated the deal in the Oval Office with Starmer connected via speakerphone. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer prepared to launch negotiations with Chinese officials in Switzerland. Trump emphasized that Britain "made a good deal" but cautioned that other trading partners might face higher final tariffs due to their large US trade surpluses. "It opens up a tremendous market […]
US and Britain Set to Announce Historic Tariff Reduction Deal
The United States and Britain are preparing to announce an agreement to lower tariffs on certain goods on Thursday, marking the first such deal since President Donald Trump implemented worldwide tariffs. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would hold an Oval Office news conference at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday regarding a "major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country." A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed he would provide an update on US-UK trade discussions later Thursday. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated the framework of an agreement would be announced. "The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security," a Downing Street spokesperson stated. "Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace, and the Prime Minister will update later today." A British official […]
Europe Commemorates 80th Anniversary of VE Day Amid Shifting Security Landscape
Solemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials across France on Thursday as the country marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, observed as a public holiday there annually. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron will lay a wreath at Charles de Gaulle's statue, walk up the Champs-รlysรฉes to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect troops. The ceremony will include a minute's silence, a rendition of the Marseillaise, a speech from Macron on "the values that triumphed in 1945," military bands from six countries, a parade of French armed forces personnel, flags, wartime vehicles, re-enactors, and a flypast. However, France is among the relatively few European countries marking VE Day with such an elaborate ceremony. Some commemorate it more modestly without a public holiday; others call it […]
Young Britons Turn to Catholicism Seeking Deeper Connection in Digital Age
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Steel found a "great sense of peace" when he began attending Catholic Mass in Britain, something he says was missing in his life. Twenty-six-year-old Dan Williamson was driven to convert by an "ache" for something "deeper and ancient and more rich." Both are among a growing number of men aged 18-34 attending church in Britain compared to pre-pandemic times, challenging the assumption that Christianity was in generational decline in Western nations like Britain. As cardinals gather to vote for Pope Francis's successor on May 7, the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church, combined with a longing for connection and faith, appear to be attracting younger British adults, particularly men. "I was looking for meaning in life," Steel said after Mass at St. Elizabeth of Portugal church in southwest London, as incense lingered in the air. An Australian […]
UK Stocks Decline Led by Healthcare and Real Estate Despite Trade Talk Progress
Britain's main indexes fell on Wednesday, with healthcare and real estate stocks leading the decline despite positive developments in trade talks, as investor focus shifted to the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. By 1008 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 0.3%. The domestically focused midcap index slipped 0.2%, poised to end its nine-session upward streak. An index of the UK's healthcare companies dropped 2% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appointed Vinay Prasad, an oncologist previously criticized for FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Shares of GSK and AstraZeneca fell between 4.4% and 2%, with GSK heading toward its largest daily decline in a month. The real estate index shed 1.3% following an industry survey that showed Britain's construction sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month in […]
German Chancellor Nominee Rejected in Historic First-Round Vote
Friedrich Merz, Germany's conservative leader, unexpectedly failed to secure enough votes to become chancellor on Tuesday, plunging Europe's largest economy into renewed political uncertainty. The 69-year-old Merz, whose CDU/CSU conservatives won February's federal election and recently signed a coalition agreement with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), received only 310 votes in the secret parliamentary ballotโsix short of the absolute majority required. At least 18 coalition MPs apparently withheld their support. While not necessarily fatal to his chancellorship bid, Merz's first-round rejection marks an unprecedented setback in post-war German politics and embarrasses a leader who promised economic revival during global instability. The vote immediately cast doubt on Merz's planned diplomatic visits to France and Poland scheduled for Wednesday. Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner announced that nine lawmakers abstained while 307 voted against Merz, who appeared visibly shocked by the outcome. Party insiders […]
Related
US and UK Reach Limited Trade Deal While 10% Tariffs Remain
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a limited bilateral trade agreement on Thursday that maintains Trump's 10% tariffs on British exports while expanding agricultural access and reducing steep US duties on British automobile exports. The "general terms" agreement marks the first of numerous tariff-adjusting deals Trump expects to finalize in the coming weeks. It follows his implementation of new import taxes aimed at addressing the $1.2 trillion US goods trade deficit. Trump celebrated the deal in the Oval Office with Starmer connected via speakerphone. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer prepared to launch negotiations with Chinese officials in Switzerland. Trump emphasized that Britain "made a good deal" but cautioned that other trading partners might face higher final tariffs due to their large US trade surpluses. "It opens up a tremendous market […]
Robert Prevost’s Unexpected Path to the Papacy
Tonight, from the Vatican, a stunning development that will reverberate across the Catholic world. The College of Cardinals, in a move that has surprised many, has reportedly chosen Robert Prevost as the successor to the papacy. A figure perhaps less known on the global stage than some of the speculated frontrunners, Robert Prevost's ascent marks a potentially significant turning point for the Church. Robert Prevost, an American prelate who has been serving as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a crucial Vatican department responsible for recommending candidates for bishoprics worldwide, is now poised to take on the monumental task of leading over a billion Catholics. His background, notably his long service as a missionary in Latin America, particularly in Peru, offers a compelling narrative of a life dedicated to the pastoral needs of the faithful in the developing world. […]
US and Britain Set to Announce Historic Tariff Reduction Deal
The United States and Britain are preparing to announce an agreement to lower tariffs on certain goods on Thursday, marking the first such deal since President Donald Trump implemented worldwide tariffs. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would hold an Oval Office news conference at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday regarding a "major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country." A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed he would provide an update on US-UK trade discussions later Thursday. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated the framework of an agreement would be announced. "The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security," a Downing Street spokesperson stated. "Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace, and the Prime Minister will update later today." A British official […]
Europe Commemorates 80th Anniversary of VE Day Amid Shifting Security Landscape
Solemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials across France on Thursday as the country marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, observed as a public holiday there annually. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron will lay a wreath at Charles de Gaulle's statue, walk up the Champs-รlysรฉes to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect troops. The ceremony will include a minute's silence, a rendition of the Marseillaise, a speech from Macron on "the values that triumphed in 1945," military bands from six countries, a parade of French armed forces personnel, flags, wartime vehicles, re-enactors, and a flypast. However, France is among the relatively few European countries marking VE Day with such an elaborate ceremony. Some commemorate it more modestly without a public holiday; others call it […]
Young Britons Turn to Catholicism Seeking Deeper Connection in Digital Age
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Steel found a "great sense of peace" when he began attending Catholic Mass in Britain, something he says was missing in his life. Twenty-six-year-old Dan Williamson was driven to convert by an "ache" for something "deeper and ancient and more rich." Both are among a growing number of men aged 18-34 attending church in Britain compared to pre-pandemic times, challenging the assumption that Christianity was in generational decline in Western nations like Britain. As cardinals gather to vote for Pope Francis's successor on May 7, the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church, combined with a longing for connection and faith, appear to be attracting younger British adults, particularly men. "I was looking for meaning in life," Steel said after Mass at St. Elizabeth of Portugal church in southwest London, as incense lingered in the air. An Australian […]
UK Stocks Decline Led by Healthcare and Real Estate Despite Trade Talk Progress
Britain's main indexes fell on Wednesday, with healthcare and real estate stocks leading the decline despite positive developments in trade talks, as investor focus shifted to the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. By 1008 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 0.3%. The domestically focused midcap index slipped 0.2%, poised to end its nine-session upward streak. An index of the UK's healthcare companies dropped 2% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appointed Vinay Prasad, an oncologist previously criticized for FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Shares of GSK and AstraZeneca fell between 4.4% and 2%, with GSK heading toward its largest daily decline in a month. The real estate index shed 1.3% following an industry survey that showed Britain's construction sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month in […]
Be the first to leave a comment