Police searches in counter-terror probe into alleged hostile activity for Iran
Counter-terrorism officers searched two north-west London addresses as investigators said there is no imminent threat to the public
Counter-terrorism police officers have carried out searches in London as part of an investigation into alleged hostile activity for Iran.
Two addresses in north-west London were searched on Wednesday as part of the inquiry into suspected crimes under the National Security Act.
The investigation has no connection to the spate of alleged arson attacks on Jewish sites in London, which were claimed to have been orchestrated by an Iran-backed group.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We’ve seen a marked increase in the tempo of our work linked to national security and state threats over the past year and this investigation is a continuation of that, as part of broader disruption of hostile activity.
“We know this may come as a concern to some, but I want to stress that we do not believe there to be any imminent threat to the public, nor to any particular communities, individuals or venues in connection with this matter.
“Of course, our investigation will continue, and we will not hesitate to take further action if required.
“I would also like to remind the public that the overall terrorism threat level is at severe, so we continue to ask for everyone’s support through being vigilant, and if you see or hear anything that doesn’t look right, then please, trust your instincts, and report it to us.”
No arrests have yet been made.
In March, officials said that the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, had increased 50 percent in six months to December 2025.
Richard Horne, head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), also warned earlier this month that hostile states, including Russia, China and Iran, are targeting the UK’s national infrastructure with online attacks.
He said that around 75 percent of the more than 200 incidents affecting Britain’s critical infrastructure over the past year could be linked to hostile states.
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