WANA (May 20) – The Iranian Ambassador to the United Kingdom has warned against third-party interference and the orchestration of a “false flag” operation designed to undermine relations between Tehran and London.

 

According to a statement posted by the Iranian Embassy in London on social media platform X, “Seyed Ali Mousavi,” the Iranian Ambassador, met with UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis at the Home Office for an introductory meeting on 19 May 2025.

 

The Iranian Embassy’s statement continued:

“The Iranian Ambassador, H.E. Seyed Ali Mousavi, met with the Security Minister, H.E. Dan Jarvis, at the Home Office for an introductory meeting on 19 May 2025.

 

They held a constructive exchange on a range of issues, including some alleged security threats and, in particular, the recent arrests of some Iranian nationals.

 

The Ambassador raised the issue of releasing all detained Iranian nationals in a Met Police investigation concerning false terrorism-related allegations without any charges, and requested the Minister to brief his fellow British lawmakers on the matter, warning of the risk of third-party involvement in a potential false flag operation aimed at disrupting Iran–UK bilateral relations.

 

Both sides emphasized the significance of dialogue in good faith and decided to continue to meet in the future to resolve any misunderstanding and address differences.”

 

In recent weeks, the Metropolitan Police arrested eight Iranian nationals residing in the United Kingdom under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act, on suspicion of preparing a “terrorist” act, as part of what it described as a pre-planned operation. Meanwhile, British media reported on Sunday that four of the eight detainees have since been released.

 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reacted to the arrests and related claims circulating in some British outlets, stating: “We are witnessing fictional narratives in the media, suggesting that Iranian nationals were allegedly involved in a plot targeting the Israeli embassy in London.”

 

He added that Iran has asked the UK to engage in cooperation so that it can assist in any investigation into credible allegations. “The choice of timing and lack of engagement suggests there may be hidden agendas at play. Past experience shows there are third parties willing to go to desperate lengths to derail diplomacy and escalate tensions, including through the fabrication of false claims.”

 

The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that Iran is ready to engage in order to clarify what has actually taken place, and reiterated that British authorities must ensure legal due process for Iranian citizens.

 

It is worth noting that a “false flag operation” refers to covert actions conducted by military, paramilitary, intelligence, or political entities in such a way that they appear to be carried out by other groups or countries.