On Thursday, the Intelligence and Security Committee of the British Parliament warned of Iranian activity and its potentially deadly threats against dissidents and opponents of the regime within the United Kingdom. In response, Iran's embassy in London called these accusations "not only defamatory but also dangerous," describing them as "baseless, politically motivated hostile claims."

The committee stated that threats of physical attacks by Iran on British soil "have significantly increased in number and intensity, targeting dissidents and regime opponents," comparing them to those posed by Russia.

In early March, the UK placed Iran, its intelligence services, and the Revolutionary Guard at the highest level of its newly launched foreign influence monitoring system, requiring certain individuals to disclose their activities.

Committee Chairman Kevin Jones said, “Iran poses a serious, persistent, and unpredictable threat to the UK, its citizens, and British interests.”

According to the report—covering August 2021 to August 2023—Iran shows “a strong willingness to take risks in offensive operations, with its intelligence services having substantial resources that provide asymmetric advantages in some areas.”

Although Iran’s activity in the UK is "less strategic and narrower in scope than that of Russia or China," the report emphasized it should not be underestimated.

It added that Iran’s intelligence agencies have demonstrated both willingness and capability—often via third-party agents—to plan assassinations and abductions in the UK, with 15 incidents reported since early 2022.

Iran is said to rely on these agents from “criminal networks, armed and terrorist organizations, and actors in the private cyber domain to target opponents while minimizing the risk of retaliation.”

The report also warned of a “growing threat to Jewish and Israeli interests within the United Kingdom.”

In mid-May, following charges against three Iranians for espionage and planning violence in the UK, the government acknowledged it had become a target of “increasing threats from states” on its territory, revealing that over 20 Iran-backed plots had been uncovered since early 2022—posing lethal potential to UK citizens and residents.

In March 2024, reporter Pouria Zeraati from Iran International—a private network labeled a terrorist organization by Tehran—was stabbed in London and hospitalized with a leg injury.

?? Iran’s Response:

Tehran, through its embassy in London, denied the “baseless and politically motivated hostile claims.”

In a statement, it described the accusations as "irresponsible" and part of "a broader pattern of distortion aimed at harming Iran’s legitimate regional and national interests."

The statement declared, “The Government of Iran categorically rejects all allegations contained in these sections, considering them unfounded and irresponsible.”

It added, “These claims not only lack credible evidence but also contradict Iran’s fundamental commitment to international law, sovereign equality, and peaceful coexistence.”

The embassy also said, “Clearly, this biased and politicized report does not reflect reality and does not help resolve misunderstandings. By presenting false information to the public and policymakers, it complicates the issue and leads to misjudgment.”

It concluded, “The accusation of Iran’s involvement in violence, espionage, cyberattacks, or support for such acts on British soil or against British interests abroad is categorically rejected. These charges are not just defamatory but also dangerous—they cause unnecessary tension and undermine diplomatic principles.”