The UK police arrest seven Iranians for alleged national security threats Police news

The country is at a state of high alert since MI5 warned last year about Iran -backed “possible” activities.

The UK arrested eight men, including seven Iranian citizens, as part of investigations related to the alleged threats of national security.

The Capital Police in London confirmed the arrests on Sunday, saying that five men, including four Iranian citizens, were seized on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist law” while the other three are being held. National Security The legislation was presented in 2023 to confront the actions of hostile countries.

In the first operation, which took place on Saturday, the anti -terrorist police arrested four Iranians with the other person, whose nationality was still established in London, Swindon and the Greater Manchester region regarding a “suspected plot to target specific places.”

The five men were between the ages of 29 and 46 years. The four Iranians were arrested under the terrorism law, while the fifth man was arrested under the Police and Forensic Evidence.

“This is a quick -motion investigation,” said Dominic Murphy, chief of terrorism at the Capital Police.

In the second operation, which took place on the same day, the anti -terrorist police arrested three Iranian citizens between the ages of 39, 44 and 55 in London under the National Security Law, which gives law enforcement greater powers to disrupt the “state threats”, including foreign intervention and espionage.

Metropolitan police said on Sunday that the three London arrest “was not linked to the arrest of five people yesterday.”

Interior Minister Evit Cooper described the threats as “dangerous”, saying that the government was working with police and intelligence agencies “to keep the country safe.”

The arrests were made amid a rise Fears Turning the Iranian operations on the soil of the United Kingdom after the head of the Local Intelligence Department in Britain, he said last year that the United Kingdom revealed 20 Iranian -backed lands that have been “possible threats” since 2022.

In 2023, a Austrian citizen was convicted of carrying out a “hostile survey” against the London headquarters in Iran, the broadcaster who criticizes the government of Iran.

The following year, the British journalist was exposed to the Iranian origin who worked for Iran’s international in London.

In February, a former British soldier was sentenced 14 years in prison After being convicted of spying to Iran.

Iran has repeatedly rejected suggestions that it was behind plots to attack the United Kingdom.

In March, Tehran summoned the British ambassador in response to the accusations and transferred an official protest.

In October, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused the United Kingdom of hosting “terrorist” groups that enhance violence.