London, United Kingdom. British police arrested four men on Friday on suspicion of spying for Iran after an investigation into suspected surveillance of London’s Jewish community.
Arrests and investigation
Detectives said one of the men was Iranian and three had dual British-Iranian nationality. Police said the men were arrested in Barnet, north London, and in Watford, a town 15 miles (24 km) north of London, and were taken into custody.
Police described the arrests as part of a “long-running investigation” and suggested the suspected surveillance of Jewish sites and individuals pre-dated the U.S. and Israeli bombardment of Iran, which began last Saturday.
Police said the four detained men were aged between 22 and 55. Six other people were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and police said searches were ongoing.
Government and security responses
British lawmakers and the domestic spy agency have long warned of threats posed to Britain by Iran, while Australia has also linked antisemitic attacks to Tehran.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told the TV breakfast show Good Morning Britain, when asked about the arrests, that Iran was “the biggest state sponsor of terrorism globally” and that this was reflected “in our own society.”
Speaking about the current Iranian conflict on Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that people would use it to divide the country. He said the government was reaching out to communities across the United Kingdom, “Jewish and Muslim alike,” and ensuring places of worship had appropriate protective security in place.
MI5 assessment and antisemitic incidents
Britain’s MI5 spy boss said that over two years from 2022 to 2024, the service and British police responded to 20 Iran-backed plots to kidnap or kill British nationals or individuals based in Britain who were regarded by Tehran as a threat.
A charity said Britain recorded a 4% rise in antisemitic incidents in 2025, making it the second worst year on record. Two men were killed last October during an attack on a synagogue in the northern English city of Manchester.
What impact do you think the arrests will have on security measures for communities and places of worship across the United Kingdom?