Following charges against three Iranian citizens under the UK’s national security law, both countries have summoned ambassadors in an escalating dispute. The UK said it had summoned Iran’s ambassador Saeed Ali Musavi over the matter. Iran summoned the UK’s Chargé d’Affaires in the country. Iran stated that the allegations against its three citizens are baseless.
The three individuals, arrested in connection with a terrorism investigation, have been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence agency. The charges allege that they provided assistanced assistance to the intelligence agency between August 2024 and February 2025. UK police say the three were helping an Iranian intelligence agency. Last month, four other Iranian citizens were arrested in the UK on separate charges. UK police say they have been released, but the investigation is ongoing.
The charges against the three Iranian citizens for allegedly assisting in espionage come at at a time when the UK is closely monitoring activities believed to be carried out with Iranian support in the country. Iran is listed at the highest level in the UK’s register of foreign influence. The UK Foreign Office stated that the government’s top priority is to protect national security. They said Iran must be held accountable for its actions.
Iranian state media reported that the UK ambassador to Iran was summoned to explain the reasons for the arrest of the three Iranian citizens. Iran has stated that the UK government must take responsibility for the pressure tactics and their negative consequences, which they claim are politically motivated actions against Iran.
