Saturday, March, 7 2026 - Four men have been arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of spying for Iran after allegedly carrying out surveillance on members and locations linked to the Jewish community.
The arrests were announced by the Metropolitan Police
Service as part of an ongoing national security investigation under the
National Security Act. Police said the investigation relates to suspected
surveillance activities involving specific locations and individuals connected
to the Jewish community.
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London arrested one
Iranian national and three dual British-Iranian nationals shortly after 1am
during coordinated operations in Barnet and Harrow in north London, as well as
in Watford
According to police, two suspects aged 40 and 55 were
arrested at addresses in the Barnet area, while a 52-year-old man was arrested
in Watford and a 22-year-old man was detained in Harrow. Authorities also
confirmed that searches were being carried out at several properties in Barnet,
Watford and Wembley.
During the same operation, six additional men aged between
20 and 49 were arrested at a property in Harrow on suspicion of assisting an
offender. One of them was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police
officer. All ten men remain in custody as the investigation continues.
Helen Flanagan, commander of Counter Terrorism Policing
London, said the arrests were part of a long-running national security
investigation. “Today’s arrests are part of a long-running investigation and
part of our ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it,” she
said. “We understand the public may be concerned, in particular the Jewish
community, and as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see
or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us.”
The arrests come amid heightened tensions following military
operations by Israel and the United States against Iran, and subsequent
retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.
Speaking earlier in parliament, Keir Starmer warned that
Iran has directed threats toward dissidents and the Jewish community in
Britain. “Over the last year alone, Iran-backed plots against people in the UK
have been disrupted. We must be clear about the threat that Iran poses,” he
said.
Ken McCallum, head of the UK’s domestic intelligence agency
MI5, previously said his officers had tracked more than 20 potentially lethal
Iran-linked plots within a single year.
Shabana Mahmood thanked security agencies and police for
protecting the public. “The Jewish community and the wider public will
understandably be concerned by today’s arrests. We continue to monitor the
situation closely and engage with those affected,” she said in a post on X.
Reacting to the arrests, Priti Patel said the alleged
surveillance operation highlighted what she described as antisemitism within
Iran’s leadership. Jewish organisations, including the Board of Deputies of
British Jews, thanked police for their response.
However, the Campaign Against Antisemitism criticised the
government for not formally banning Iran’s powerful security force, the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps, arguing that stronger action is needed to address
the threat.
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