UK faces rising and unpredictable threat from Iran, report warns
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
UK faces ‘constant, unpredictable’ threat from Iran, warns intelligence committee report
The UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said that the danger posed to Iranian dissidents and Jewish and Israeli interests was on par with the threat from Russia. The committee pointed out that there were at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts against British citizens or residents between January 2022 and August 2023. The report said that Iran was not as strategic as Russia or China and slightly chaotic, with a “high appetite for risk” and “waves of activities”, rather than having a consistent plan. It said the national security threat from Iran requires more resourcing and a longer-term approach.
The committee, which is tasked with overseeing Britain’s spy agencies, pointed out that there were at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts against British citizens or residents between January 2022 and August 2023.
“Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent, and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests,” said Lord Beamish, committee chair, and added, “Iran is there across the full spectrum of all the kinds of threats we have to be concerned with.”
The report said that Iran was not as strategic as Russia or China and slightly chaotic, with a “high appetite for risk” and “waves of activities”, rather than having a consistent plan.
‘Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity’
“Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced with significant areas of asymmetric strength,” he further said.
It said the national security threat from Iran requires more resourcing and a longer-term approach. “Iran poses a wide-ranging threat to UK national security, which should not be underestimated: it is persistent and—crucially—unpredictable.”
Last year, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, warned of a staggering rise in attempts at assassination, sabotage, and other crimes on UK soil by both Iran and Russia.
The 206-page report was published on Thursday as part of an inquiry into national security issues relating to Iran.
It was sent to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in March and then circulated among UK intelligence organisations to give them the opportunity to request any redactions on national security grounds.
Iran rejects findings, terms them ‘unfounded, politically motivated and hostile’
Iran’s embassy in London denied the committee’s findings and termed them “unfounded, politically motivated and hostile allegations.”
“The suggestion that Iran engages in or supports acts of physical violence, espionage, or cyber aggression on British soil or against British interests abroad, is wholly rejected,” the embassy said in a statement.
“Such accusations are not only defamatory but also dangerous, fuelling unnecessary tensions and undermining diplomatic norms.”
A UK government spokesperson said, “This government will take action wherever necessary to protect national security, which is a foundation of our Plan for Change.
UK faces ‘persistent and unpredictable threat’ from Iran intelligence report warns
Between January 2022 and August 2023 there were at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts against British citizens or residents. Iran’s embassy in London denied the findings of the report, describing them as “unfounded, politically motivated and hostile” The committee said Iran was not as strategic as Russia or China and had a “high appetite for risk”
Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said Thursday that the danger posed to Iranian dissidents and Jewish and Israeli interests was on par with the threat from Russia.
Between January 2022 and August 2023 there were at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts against British citizens or residents, the report said.
“Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK,” Kevan Jones, a member of the House of Lords and chair of the committee, said.
Iran’s embassy in London denied the findings of the report, describing them as “unfounded, politically motivated and hostile allegations.”
“The suggestion that Iran engages in or supports acts of physical violence, espionage, or cyber aggression on British soil or against British interests abroad, is wholly rejected,” the embassy said in a statement. “Such accusations are not only defamatory but also dangerous, fuelling unnecessary tensions and undermining diplomatic norms.”
The committee report said Iran was not as strategic as Russia or China and slightly chaotic with a “high appetite for risk” and “waves of activities,” rather than having a consistent plan.
Last year, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency warned of a staggering rise in attempts at assassination, sabotage and other crimes on UK soil by Russia and Iran.
Three men alleged to be Iranian spies were charged in a London court in May with plotting violence against UK-based journalists for an Iranian news outlet. (AP) NPK
NPK
UK faces rising and unpredictable threat from Iran, report warns
UK faces rising and unpredictable threat from Iran, warns Parliament’s intelligence committee. The committee says the threat is greater than previously thought. It says there have been at least 15 attempts to kill or kidnap British nationals in the past two years. The report says the UK needs to do more to protect its citizens from the threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons programme, as well as other threats to the UK’s national security. It warns that the threat will only increase if the U.S. does not do enough to stop Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, which could be a threat to the world’s security.
3 hours ago Share Save Caroline Hawley BBC diplomatic correspondent Jemma Crew BBC News Share Save
NurPhoto via Getty Images Murals of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are not uncommon in Tehran – pictured here during a rally to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in 2022
The UK faces a “rising” and unpredictable threat from Iran and the government must do more to counter it, Parliament’s intelligence and security committee has warned. The call comes as it publishes the results of a major inquiry which examined Iranian state assassinations and kidnap, espionage, cyber attacks and its nuclear programme. The report took evidence up to August 2023 so does not assess the impact of heightened tensions since the attack on 7 October that year by Hamas on Israel, or the Iran-Israel conflict – but its authors say the findings remain relevant. The committee raised particular concern over a “sharp increase” in physical threats against opponents of Iran’s regime in the UK.
Committee chair Lord Beamish said: “Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals and UK interests.” “Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced with significant areas of asymmetric strength,” he added. The Iranian embassy in London “wholly rejected” the report’s findings, which it called “biased” and “baseless”. The committee, which is tasked with overseeing Britain’s spy agencies, accuses the government of focusing on “crisis management” and “fire-fighting” with Iran, as well as on its nuclear programme, at the expense of other threats, which require a better-resourced long-term response. It continued: “Whilst Iran’s activity appears to be less strategic and on a smaller scale than Russia and China, Iran poses a wide-ranging threat to UK national security, which should not be underestimated: it is persistent and – crucially – unpredictable.” It says it was told by intelligence bodies that, in terms of the threat to the UK, Iran “would be top of the Championship rather than the Premier League, but rising”. Physical threats against people living in the UK have increased since 2022, the report found, with dissidents targeted, as well as “Jewish and Israeli interests in the UK”. The committee said there have been at least 15 attempts at murder or kidnap against British nationals or UK-based individuals since the beginning of 2022 to August 2023, when the report stopped taking evidence. In October last year, the head of MI5 put the number at 20. The report’s authors said they had been advised the physical threat was “comparable with the threat posed by Russia”. It found that Iran “sees the UK as collateral in its handling of internal matters – i.e. removing perceived enemies of the regime”, with increased physical threats driven by protests fuelling a sense of insecurity inside the Iranian regime.
Two Hampshire council leaders say current devolution plan will fail
Council shake-up plan will fail, two leaders say. Plans under consultation by 12 of the county’s 15 district councils. Hampshire County Council leader Nick Adams-King said the plans would leave the new authorities bankrupt on day one. Key point of contention is the future of the New Forest, which is treated differently in each proposal. One New Forest councillor, Jack Davies, likened the options to “being asked if you want to be hanged, or shot, or blown up with a bazooka”
Image source, Hampshire County Council Image caption, Leader of Hampshire County Council Nick Adams-King has proposed an alternative four-way split
Author, Tristan Pascoe Role, Political Reporter, BBC South
8 hours ago
Two Hampshire council leaders have warned that proposals to create five new unitary authorities across the county would fail from the outset.
County council leader Nick Adams-King said the plans – currently under consultation by 12 of the county’s 15 district councils – would leave the new authorities bankrupt on day one.
The consultation outlines three options, all involving the creation of five councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Adams-King and East Hampshire District Council leader Richard Millard have proposed an alternative four-way split: north, south, east and west.
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“We’ve looked carefully at all the options. Some would save more money on paper, but they come with bigger risks – like breaking up services, creating confusion, or putting too much pressure on councils already facing financial challenges,” Adams-King said.
“Others would cost significantly more and take longer to deliver any benefit.
“We will be carefully considering this four-council model which aims to strike the right balance.”
In a joint statement, the 12 district councils said: “A single, county-wide approach can’t reflect the needs of such a diverse area. Our proposed model allows services to be designed and delivered around real communities, not a one-size-fits-all system.”
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They warned the alternative plan “risks creating powerless talking shops”.
A key point of contention is the future of the New Forest, which is treated differently in each proposal. One New Forest councillor, Jack Davies, likened the options to “being asked if you want to be hanged, or shot, or blown up with a bazooka”.
The changes form part of national local government reorganisation plans due by 2028.
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St Ann’s arson investigation after abandoned building fire
Arson investigation after abandoned building fire in St Ann’s, Nottingham. Firefighters called to Pease Hill Centre – an old health service building – at 19:15 BST. Reports that people might still be in the burning building led to a large police and fire service response. Nottinghamshire Police said the blaze was being treated as an arson attack.
Image caption, Large plumes of smoke could be seen from across the city during the blaze in St Ann’s
Author, Asha Patel Role, BBC News, Nottingham
8 hours ago
A fire in an abandoned building in Nottingham was deliberately started, an investigation has found.
Emergency crews were called to Pease Hill Centre – an old health service building – in Furze Gardens, St Ann’s, at about 19:15 BST on Saturday, police said.
Reports that people might still be in the burning building led to a large police and fire service response, but nobody was found.
On Thursday, Nottinghamshire Police said following a joint investigation with the fire service, the blaze was being treated as an arson attack.
Image source, Google Image caption, The former health centre, which is now surrounded by metal fencing
A total of six crews from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to bring the fire under control.
Police said the fire had caused extensive damage to parts of the already derelict building.
Sgt Nigel Malik said: “Lighting any fire is extremely reckless and has the potential to result in devastating consequences.
“Following an investigation, this incident is now being treated as an arson attack, and we are determined to track down those responsible.”
The force asked anyone with information about the fire to come forward.
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