The UK government has officially designated the clerical regime in Iran as one of its “core security priorities”, describing the regime as a “persistent and multi-layered threat” to national security, according to its response to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament’s report on Iran, published in September 2025.
The report warns that Iran poses a broad spectrum of risks to the UK, including terrorist plots, espionage, cyberattacks, interference operations, and assassination attempts on British soil. The government revealed that since 2022, security services have disrupted at least 20 Iran-backed plots, many targeting dissidents, journalists, and Jewish and Israeli communities within the UK.
“The Government considers Iran to be a core security priority, given the ongoing threats it poses,” the report stated. “We will take action wherever necessary to protect national security.”
#Iran News: Regime’s Transnational Repression Among Top Threats to #UK Security, Parliamentary Report Warnshttps://t.co/kG2qoKEdS5
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 30, 2025
Key Findings
- Physical Threats in the UK: MI5 confirmed 15 attempts of murder or kidnapping since early 2022 targeting UK-based individuals critical of the regime.
- Espionage & Cyber Threats: Iran is identified as an “aggressive and capable actor in cyberspace”, using state-linked hackers and criminal networks to steal sensitive data and disrupt infrastructure.
- Foreign Influence Operations: The entire Iranian state has now been placed on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), requiring anyone acting on behalf of Iran — including criminal proxies — to register or face up to five years in prison.
- Support for Terrorist Groups: The UK condemned the regime’s extensive backing of Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other militant networks, accusing Tehran of using them to project power and destabilize the Middle East.
- Nuclear Program: The UK government warned of Iran’s continued stockpiling of highly enriched uranium and its refusal to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), increasing fears of nuclear escalation.
UK Parliament Warns of Escalating #Iranian Transnational Repression, 20 Threat-to-Life Cases Reportedhttps://t.co/FhriWWOXa1
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 3, 2025
The response also highlights the regime’s deepening partnership with Russia and growing cyber capabilities, calling the situation “unpredictable and dangerous.”
This publication marks the government’s strongest stance yet against the clerical regime and signals an escalation in the UK’s countermeasures, including expanded sanctions, enhanced intelligence operations, and closer cooperation with allies such as the US, France, and Germany.