London, UK – Four Iranian nationals arrested in a counter terror operation were allegedly plotting an imminent attack on the Israeli embassy in London, according to British security sources. Intelligence gathered by authorities suggested the group was only hours away from carrying out the attack when they were arrested.
The suspects were detained under terrorism legislation, while three additional Iranian men were arrested under the National Security Act on suspicion of involvement in threats linked to a foreign power – reportedly the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Though officials have not publicly detailed the exact details of the planned attack, security sources told The Telegraph that the four men suspected of targeting the embassy had been under surveillance for some time, and their arrest came just as final preparations were being made. It is believed that MI5, with the support of counter-terrorism police, moved quickly to prevent what could have been a deadly assault on diplomatic premises in central London.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded with skepticism to the allegations. In a statement issued following the arrests, Tehran denounced the UK’s claims as “baseless and unsubstantiated.” Alireza Yousefi, the director general for Western Europe at Iran’s foreign ministry, was quoted in Iranian state-linked media as saying, “The unpleasant habit of some British officials in repeating baseless and undocumented claims against Iran is undoubtedly detrimental to bilateral relations.”
These are among events that have intensified calls within the UK to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The Labour Party pledged to proscribe the IRGC during the 2024 general election campaign, yet no action has been taken. Senior sources have attributed the delay to opposition within the British Foreign Office, where officials have warned that such a move could strain diplomatic relations and complicate negotiations over consular matters.
The debate is not new. In 2023, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly faced internal pushback after suggesting the IRGC met the legal threshold for proscription under the UK Terrorism Act 2000. The United States, meanwhile, designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization in 2019, along with several other countries, including Canada.
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum previously warned of the growing threat posed by Iranians, who often call themselves “Persians” abroad. In a 2023 statement, McCallum revealed that since early 2022, the agency had disrupted at least 20 terrorist plots allegedly linked to the Iranian state. “Iran represents a threat to the UK through its intelligence services and through the activities of proxies,” McCallum said, citing attempted assassinations, surveillance of dissidents, and intimidation campaigns as part of Tehran’s activities.
While the UK government has not officially confirmed whether the recent arrests are tied directly to the IRGC, experts note that the group’s Quds Force – responsible for overseas terrorist operations – is widely believed to coordinate such activity abroad.
As investigations continue, the Israeli embassy remains under heightened security, and the suspects remain in custody pending as the investigations continue.
