Counter-Terrorism Crackdown: Iran-Linked Arrests in Britain

British authorities have intensified their counter-terrorism efforts, resulting in the arrest of eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, as part of two distinct investigations, announced London's Metropolitan Police on Sunday.

Five men were apprehended on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack targeting a specific site. While four of those detained were identified as Iranian nationals, police have not disclosed the nationality of the fifth individual. Arrests took place across Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. Authorities maintain communication with the potential target site to offer necessary support, citing operational confidentiality for withholding additional details.

At a time when scrutiny of Iran-linked activities intensifies in the UK, another investigation led to the arrest of three Iranian nationals in London under suspicion of foreign power threat activities, following the 2023 enactment of the National Security Act aimed at countering hostile state actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)