The Metropolitan Police announced the arrest of a fourth Iranian man in connection with a terror investigation into “foreign power threat activity.” The 31-year-old Iranian was taken into custody on Friday morning in north-west London in accordance with the National Security Act 2023. The same counter-terrorism enforcement operation led to the arrest of three other Iranian males on Saturday.

The arrest of five Iranians who are allegedly planning a terror assault on the Israeli embassy in London has nothing to do with the inquiry. Scotland Yard reported that two residences in north-west London were searched after Friday’s arrest and that investigations are “ongoing.” The police also stated that orders for additional custody were issued on Friday, allowing the three other males who were arrested—ages 39, 44, and 55—to be detained until Saturday, May 17.

Officers may detain anybody they believe to be “involved in foreign power threat activity” without a warrant under section 27 of the National Security Act. The two operations were among

“the largest counter-state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times,”

Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons on Tuesday.

“I can certify to the House that these are the first Iranian nationals detained under the National Security Act,”

Mr. Jarvis stated.

In an effort to shield the UK from harmful foreign influence, Iran was the first foreign power to be put on the top tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) earlier this year. When the plan goes into effect in July, it means that anyone who is ordered by the dictatorship to engage in activities in the UK must reveal it or risk being imprisoned for five years.

MI5 chief Ken McCallum stated in October of last year that since 2022, officials had thwarted 20 Iranian state-sponsored plots in the UK. After orders for additional detention, until Saturday, May 10, were obtained on Monday, four of the individuals detained in connection with the separate terror plot investigation are still in custody.

In violation of section 5 of the Terrorism attack 2006, the four men—a 29-year-old from the Swindon region, a 46-year-old from west London, a 29-year-old from the Stockport area, and a 40-year-old from the Rochdale area—were detained on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. In May, a 24-year-old male from the Manchester region was released on conditional bail after being arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.