UK arrests Iranians for espionage; Iran summons British envoy, calls move politically motivated

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned a British diplomatic representative in Tehran in response to the recent arrests of Iranian nationals in the United Kingdom on charges related to espionage, according to state media reports released on Monday.

"Following the unjustified arrest of a number of Iranian nationals in the UK... the British charge d'affaires in Tehran was summoned on Sunday," reported Iran’s official news agency, IRNA.

Earlier this month, British police arrested seven Iranian individuals in two separate operations.

Among those detained, three men appeared before a London court on Saturday after being formally charged with activities believed to support a foreign intelligence service—specifically, the Iranian government.

The British Home Office stated that the three individuals were irregular migrants who had entered the United Kingdom between 2016 and 2022.

UK police reported that the alleged espionage activities occurred between August 2024 and February 2025.

The other four men, who were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, have since been released from custody. However, investigations into their actions remain ongoing.

Iranian state media cited a foreign ministry official who suggested that the arrests appeared to be politically motivated and intended to apply pressure on Iran.

The United Kingdom has placed Iran on the highest tier of its foreign influence register, which requires the Islamic Republic to disclose all activities intended to exert political influence within British territory.