Two arrested in London on suspicion of spying for Iran

A 42-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man have been arrested in London on suspicion of assisting Iran's intelligence service, the Metropolitan Police said. The pair were detained on Wednesday at addresses in north and northwest London by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London as part of an investigation into suspected offences under the National Security Act 2023. Section 3 of the act covers assisting a foreign intelligence service, and police confirmed that the country to which the investigation is linked is Iran. According to the Met, the arrests followed searches of two residential properties in the north and northwest of the capital on June 24, after which detectives carried out further enquiries. The suspects were taken to a London police station but have since been released on bail under strict conditions and are due to be summoned to court in late October. The force has not disclosed further details of the allegations or the suspected activities of either individual while the investigation continues. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, sought to reassure the public about the case.