Hours away from the terrorist attack of the century, how the Iranian cell in Great Britain was hit

A potential attack by Iranian terrorists in the United Kingdom has been prevented just hours before it could take place, thanks to a large-scale operation by British special forces and police.

Police and MI5, in two separate operations, have arrested eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, suspected of preparing a possible attack in London and espionage activities.

The operations took place in various cities, including London, Rochdale, Stockport, Swindon and Manchester. Five of those arrested were caught under the Terrorism Act, while three others were arrested for violating the National Security Act.

One of the arrests in Rochdale was followed by a spectacular action, where a 40-year-old Iranian man was taken from his home by armed forces.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the operation as one of the most significant in recent years, stressing that these arrests reflect the increased threat from the Iranian state to the United Kingdom.

"Saturday's targeted attacks reflect some of the largest counter-state threats and counterterrorism operations we have seen in recent years," Cooper said.

Asked about possible links to the Iranian state, she said: "These are major operations and the ongoing investigation is extremely important and, of course, involves Iranian nationals in both investigations. But this reflects the complexity of the types of challenges to our national security that we continue to face . "

The head of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, has warned of a rapid increase in Iran-backed activities since 2022, including 20 potential attack plots that have threatened the lives of Iranian journalists and dissidents in Britain.

" We have seen plot after plot here. Iran uses criminal intermediaries, from international drug traffickers to low-level fraudsters, to carry out its dirty work in the UK ," Sir Ken warned in October.

Currently, the terrorist threat level in the UK is "considerable", meaning an attack is likely, according to MI5's assessment.

The arrests came just days before commemorative events in London to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, although sources stressed that this holiday was not the intended target. (A2 Televizion)