London's Metropolitan Police arrested a 60-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman on September 9, 2026, on suspicion of assisting Iran's foreign intelligence service. The arrests under the National Security Act followed property searches in June and September. Commander Helen Flanagan emphasized there is no imminent public threat, though the UK faces an increased tempo of state-linked national security threats. Officials confirmed the case is unrelated to prior 2026 attacks on London's Jewish and Iranian communities.
Iranian intelligence assistance arrests
- ▪The 60-year-old man was arrested in north-west London and the 42-year-old woman was arrested in north London.
- ▪Both suspects arrested on September 9, 2026, were released on conditional bail until late October 2026.
- ▪London's Metropolitan Police arrested a 60-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman on September 9, 2026, on suspicion of assisting Iran's foreign intelligence service.
National Security Act investigation
- ▪Following the arrests on September 9, 2026, counter-terrorism officers searched a third residential property in north-west London.
- ▪The Metropolitan Police confirmed the investigation is not connected to any prior attacks on Jewish and Iranian communities in London, nor to the Jewish High Holy Days.
- ▪The Metropolitan Police conducted searches at two residential properties in north and north-west London on June 24, 2026, which led to the September 9 arrests.
UK state threat increase
- ▪Commander Helen Flanagan reported a marked increase in the tempo of UK counter-terrorism work linked to national security and state threats over the past year.
- ▪Commander Helen Flanagan stated that the Metropolitan Police does not believe there is any imminent threat to the wider public in connection with the September 9, 2026, arrests.
Prior Jewish community attacks
- ▪Between March and May 2026, London experienced a wave of incidents targeting Jewish and Iranian sites, starting with an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances.
- ▪The spring 2026 incidents in London targeted a synagogue, a former synagogue, the Persian-language media organization Iran International, and a memorial wall.
Iranian espionage trial pending
- ▪Nematollah Shahsavani and Alireza Farasati are scheduled to go on trial in London in 2027 accused of spying on the Israeli embassy and Jewish targets for Iran.
- ▪The UK has designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the linked group Harakat Ashab Al Yamin Al Islamiyya as threats under anti-terrorism powers.
Debatable claims
- ▪The UK should sever diplomatic relations with Iran over state-sponsored threats
- ▪The UK should proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization
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