Counter-terror police have been looking into the possible involvement of Iranian proxies after a string of attacks on Jewish sites in London.
Iran’s embassy in the UK has said it “categorically rejects” allegations of involvement in “violent activities or incidents in the United Kingdom” after the Golders Green terror attack.
Such “baseless accusations… lack credible evidence and appear to serve narrow political agendas”, it added.
In a post on X, the embassy claimed to have warned UK authorities about possible “false flag” operations – usually defined as an act that can be blamed on an adversary to justify retaliation.
It comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government needs “stronger powers to tackle the malign threat posed by states like Iran” that want to “harm British Jews”.
Also on Thursday, head of Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said officers are working against “threats by state-linked actors”.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said it is too early to know whether the perpetrator of the north London stabbing could have links to Iran.
Police tasered and arrested a 45-year-old man after the double stabbing which saw two Jewish men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, named locally as Moshe Shine – taken to hospital.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects any allegations or link of Iran’s involvement in violent activities or incidents in the United Kingdom,” it said in a statement.
“Such baseless accusations against Islamic Republic of Iran lack credible evidence and appear to serve narrow political agendas and to mislead public opinion and distract from the real root causes of terrorism and violent extremism.
“As a nation that has been a primary victim of terrorism for decades, enduring the loss of hundred thousands innocent citizens, high-ranking officials and scientists, Iran remains at the forefront of the global struggle against terrorism and violent extremism.
“The embassy also notes that, in previous official communications and discussions, it had raised concerns with relevant authorities about certain suspicious activities and the potential exploitation of ‘false flag’ operations on UK soil.”
Counter-terror police have been looking into the possible involvement of Iranian proxies after a string of attacks on Jewish sites in London.
This has included arson attacks on Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green, a synagogue and a former Jewish charity, as well as an incident where a drone was flown near the Israeli embassy.
Vicki Evans, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said the incidents have been “similar in nature”, targeting Israeli and Jewish premises within London.
Most have been claimed online by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.
