International

British police foil imminent Iranian-backed plot on Israeli embassy in London

Thursday, 8 May 2025 12:08AM UTC

A coordinated police and MI5 operation arrested four Iranian nationals suspected of planning an attack on Israel's London embassy, highlighting escalated threats from Iran-backed operatives on UK soil amid a surge in state-linked terrorism plots.

Counter-Terrorism Operations in the UK Thwart Plot Against Israeli Embassy

In a significant counter-terrorism operation, British police arrested a group of Iranian nationals believed to have been planning an attack on Israel's embassy in London. The dramatic raids, which unfolded over the weekend, have raised alarm among security officials regarding the escalating threats posed by Iran-backed operatives in the UK.

Four men, aged between 29 and 46, were detained in various locations, including west London, Swindon, Stockport, and Rochdale. The suspects are currently being interrogated for their involvement in preparations for a terrorist act, though specific details about their plans remain largely under wraps. Multiple sources indicate the targeted location was indeed the Israeli embassy situated in Kensington, although the embassy itself has yet to issue a comment on the matter.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper noted the seriousness of the situation, asserting that these arrests are reflective of unprecedented threats that have surfaced in recent years. The decision to apprehend the suspects was made after police and MI5 assessed that the plot could potentially be executed imminently. Armed officers and special forces conducted the arrests amidst concerns that the group was attempting to procure weapons for the planned attack.

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, reemphasised the interconnected nature of contemporary threats, which involve terrorism, state actors, and organized crime. He described this operation as one of the most notable in recent memory, indicating the heightened tempo of counter-terrorism efforts by British authorities. The situation follows a broader pattern of thwarted plots attributed to Iranian-linked operatives; MI5 reported that since January 2022, it has uncovered twenty potential attacks targeting various figures and institutions, many tied to Iranian dissident interests.

In parallel, three additional Iranian men have been arrested in London under the National Security Act for activities suspected to have connections with espionage. Investigators are probing whether any elements of the Iranian government, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), were involved in orchestrating the alleged plot against the embassy.

The implications of an attack on the Israeli embassy would be far-reaching, not only in terms of immediate security concerns but also due to the potential diplomatic fallout. A historical lens reveals that attacks on Israeli diplomatic missions have often resulted in serious geopolitical ramifications. For instance, a suicide bombing in 1992 targeted the Israeli embassy in Argentina, resulting in significant loss of life and a lasting impact on international relations.

Police have indicated that investigations remain ongoing, with further searches at several properties continuing days after the arrests. They are closely liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding possible charges against the suspects. Notably, one 24-year-old Iranian man arrested in Manchester has since been released on bail.

As the weeks unfold, the situation remains fluid. Security officials are on heightened alert, and discussions regarding the suspects' immigration status are taking place without public clarification, raising further questions about the implications of such terrorist plots on national security discourse in the UK.

The global context surrounding Iranian activities continues to complicate matters, as evidenced in recent months by similar incidents abroad – including arrests in Kenya and Peru targeting individuals linked to plots against Israeli sites. Such patterns underscore a broader concern regarding state-sponsored threats emanating from Tehran, elevating the stakes for UK and international security alike.

Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – [[1]](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/07/iranians-arrested-in-counter-terrorism-raids-allegedly-targeted-israeli-embassy), [[2]](https://www.ft.com/content/d22733a4-979d-4324-89b0-607b6485efac)
Paragraph 2 – [[1]](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/07/iranians-arrested-in-counter-terrorism-raids-allegedly-targeted-israeli-embassy), [[3]](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-five-men-including-four-iranians-over-suspected-terror-plot-2025-05-04/)
Paragraph 3 – [[2]](https://www.ft.com/content/d22733a4-979d-4324-89b0-607b6485efac), [[5]](https://www.timesofisrael.com/peru-arrests-2-including-quds-force-operative-for-alleged-plot-to-attack-israeli/)
Paragraph 4 – [[1]](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/07/iranians-arrested-in-counter-terrorism-raids-allegedly-targeted-israeli-embassy), [[4]](https://www.timesofisrael.com/2-iranians-charged-with-plan-to-attack-israeli-embassy-in-kenya/)
Paragraph 5 – [[3]](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-five-men-including-four-iranians-over-suspected-terror-plot-2025-05-04/), [[2]](https://www.ft.com/content/d22733a4-979d-4324-89b0-607b6485efac)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/07/iranians-arrested-in-counter-terrorism-raids-allegedly-targeted-israeli-embassy - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.ft.com/content/d22733a4-979d-4324-89b0-607b6485efac - British counterterrorism authorities thwarted a suspected terror plot aimed at the Israeli embassy in Kensington, London, by arresting five Iranian nationals in coordinated operations across England. The suspects, detained in locations including west London, Swindon, Rochdale, Stockport, and Manchester, were reportedly in the final stages of planning the attack, potentially only hours from execution. A separate group of three Iranians was also arrested in London under the National Security Act for suspected involvement in foreign power threat activity. Security Minister Dan Jarvis described the arrests as among the largest in recent counterterrorism efforts, emphasizing the complexity and interconnected nature of current threats involving terrorism, state actors, and organized crime. One of the five suspects has been released on bail under strict conditions. This development follows a series of thwarted plots attributed to Iranian-backed operatives, with MI5 reporting last year that 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots had been uncovered in the UK since 2022, many targeting dissident Iranians. The Israeli embassy did not comment on the incident. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/d22733a4-979d-4324-89b0-607b6485efac?utm_source=openai))
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-five-men-including-four-iranians-over-suspected-terror-plot-2025-05-04/ - Britain's counter-terrorism police have arrested eight men, seven of whom are Iranian nationals, in two separate investigations. On Saturday, five men, four of whom are Iranian nationals between the ages of 29 and 40, were detained on suspicion of ... . The arrests were made in Swind ... , and Manchester, police said, ... . "We are exploring various lines of enquiry ... ," said Commander Dominic Murphy, who ... . The Embassy of Iran in London did ... . The arrests come at a time of ... . In 2023, an Austrian ... "hostile reconnaissance" against the London headquarters of Iran ... . The government has also placed Iran on ... . In another counter-terrorism investigation ... . They were detained for suspected involvement in ... . Searches were ongoing at their addresses, ... . ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-arrest-five-men-including-four-iranians-over-suspected-terror-plot-2025-05-04/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.timesofisrael.com/2-iranians-charged-with-plan-to-attack-israeli-embassy-in-kenya/ - A Kenyan prosecutor has charged two Iranian men with collecting information to carry out a terrorist attack after they were allegedly found with video footage of the Israeli embassy. State Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said in court on Thursday that Sayed Nasrollah Ebrahim and Abdolhosein Gholi Safaee were arrested Tuesday in an Iranian diplomatic car while taking the pictures of the Israeli mission using a mobile phone, including when they were intercepted. They were detained in the capital, Nairobi after they had come from visiting Kamiti Prison where they saw two other Iranians who have been jailed for 15 years on terrorism charges. The Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem had no comment on the incident. A Kenyan driver, Moses Keyah Mmboga, who was chauffeuring the vehicle belonging to the Iranian embassy has been charged along with the suspects and also faces a separate charge of “abetting terrorism,” Ondimu said. ([timesofisrael.com](https://www.timesofisrael.com/2-iranians-charged-with-plan-to-attack-israeli-embassy-in-kenya/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.timesofisrael.com/peru-arrests-2-including-quds-force-operative-for-alleged-plot-to-attack-israeli/ - Peruvian police on Friday said they had captured an Iranian and a Peruvian national who allegedly were planning an attack on an Israeli person at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), scheduled to be held later this year in the Andean nation. Peru’s chief of police, Oscar Arriola, told a press conference the arrests were made after an investigation in coordination with international intelligence agencies, which provided “sensitive” information about an Iranian citizen who arrived in Peru at the beginning of March. “We had to act quickly because today (the Iranian) was set to return to Iran after forming a terrorist cell to wipe out an Israeli national” who was going to participate in the APEC event, Arriola said. Both the Iranian, whom Arriola identified as 56-year-old Majid Azizi, and the Peruvian were arrested on Thursday, he said. Azizi also holds Peruvian nationality by marriage, Arriola said. Police are still looking for a third Peruvian they think was in charge of killing the Israeli man, he said. ([timesofisrael.com](https://www.timesofisrael.com/peru-arrests-2-including-quds-force-operative-for-alleged-plot-to-attack-israeli/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000225443/two-iranians-and-kenyan-charged-over-attempt-to-attack-israel-embassy-in-nairobi - The two, the court heard, pretended to be lawyers seeking to pass information to the convicts about their case. Mohammed and Mousavi are currently serving a fifteen year jail term at the facility after the court reduced the term from life sentence following an appeal. Ondimu said after the suspects were arrested outside the Israeli Embassy they were also found in possession of photographs and video clips of Kamiti Maximum Prison and NSSF building in what the ATPU detective said was a major plan to execute a terror attack. The charge sheet against them stated that, "On November 29, along bishop road within Nairobi County in facilitation of a terrorist act, the three were found taking video clips of the Israeli embassy using mobile phones fitted with Micro line and 16 GB Micro SDC card, with the information intended for use in the commiting of a terrorist act." Mboga separately faced a count of aiding a terrorist offence in which the prosecution alleged that he drove the two Iranians in a vehicle belonging to Iranians Embassy who took a video clip of the Embassy. ([standardmedia.co.ke](https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000225443/two-iranians-and-kenyan-charged-over-attempt-to-attack-israel-embassy-in-nairobi?utm_source=openai))

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The article is from May 7, 2025, and refers to recent events, indicating it is very fresh.

Quotes check

Score: 0

Notes: No direct quotes were found in the article to verify.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative originates from The Guardian, a reputable publication known for thorough reporting. However, the reliability can vary slightly based on the context and subject matter.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims are plausible given the context of Iranian-linked activities and recent global events. However, specific details about the plot remain limited.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The article appears to be a recent report on a significant counter-terrorism operation, drawing from reputable sources. The narrative is plausible within the current geopolitical context, but lacks specific quotes to verify.

counter-terrorism
Iran
Israeli embassy
UK security
MI5