British counter-terrorism police have secured warrants to extend the detention of seven Iranian nationals arrested on Saturday as part of two separate investigations.
Authorities were granted permission to hold four Iranians, aged between 29 and 46, who were arrested over a suspected plot targeting a specific location. The individuals will remain in custody for questioning until May 10, though the targeted site has not been disclosed.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, stated that the investigation is complex and ongoing, with searches continuing at multiple addresses across the UK.
The UK has recently ramped up scrutiny of Iran, placing Tehran at the highest level of its foreign influence register. Last year, MI5 head Ken McCallum revealed that since 2022, 20 Iran-backed plots had been disrupted, some posing significant threats to British citizens.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper described the two ongoing investigations as some of the largest counter-state and counter-terrorism operations in recent years, highlighting the growing complexity of national security challenges.
Additionally, a fifth man arrested in the first investigation has been released on bail, with a date set for his next appearance in May.
In a separate investigation, three more Iranian nationals, aged 39 to 55, were detained under suspicion of involvement in foreign power threat activities, with their detention also extended until May 10.