Tehran: The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the UK’s chargé d’affaires in protest over what it described as “suspicious and unjustified” arrests of Iranian nationals by British authorities. The ministry accused the UK government of politically motivated actions and breaching international diplomatic norms.
According to Iranian state media on Sunday, Tehran criticized the UK for failing to notify Iran's embassy in a timely manner about the detentions and for denying consular access to the arrested individuals. Iran denounced the move as an attempt to apply political pressure on the Islamic Republic.
The diplomatic row comes on the heels of charges filed by British authorities against three Iranians — Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55 — for allegedly acting on behalf of Iran’s intelligence services. The trio was arrested under the UK’s 2023 National Security Act, accused of espionage and carrying out surveillance in support of potential acts of violence.
They appeared in a London court over the weekend and are scheduled for a hearing in June at the Central Criminal Court. The arrests were part of two major operations involving eight individuals, of whom seven are Iranian nationals. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the investigations as among the most significant in recent years. One suspect has since been released without charge.
In response to concerns over foreign influence, the UK recently elevated Iran to the highest risk category under its Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), reflecting growing anxiety over covert operations allegedly linked to Tehran.
The developments come at a time of deepening strains between Iran and the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear agreement — the UK, France, and Germany, collectively known as the E3. The group has criticized Iran for insufficient cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), fueling fears about the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
While the United States, under President Donald Trump’s second term, has resumed indirect negotiations with Iran, there has been little progress. Talks mediated by Oman have led to limited engagement, with the latest meeting between Iranian and E3 diplomats taking place in Istanbul last Friday. Despite renewed dialogue, no breakthrough was reported.
Tehran continues to warn of “serious consequences” if the E3 trigger the nuclear deal’s “snapback” mechanism, which would reimpose UN sanctions on Iran. The issue of uranium enrichment remains a sticking point, with the US demanding limits and Iran insisting on its sovereign right to civilian nuclear technology.
In a recent statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed US demands as “unrealistic,” warning that such positions would only stall negotiations.
Meanwhile, tensions persist over accusations that Iran has been supplying weapons to Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine, a claim Iran denies.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed on Monday that Tehran has not yet received a formal US proposal to advance to a fifth round of talks. He also clarified that while Iran has not proposed any nuclear enrichment partnerships with Saudi Arabia or the UAE, it supports the idea of a regional consortium to meet growing energy needs.
Baghaei emphasized that as countries in the Persian Gulf region seek to develop nuclear energy, establishing shared facilities could foster cooperation and investment across West Asia.
