UK warns Iran against hostile acts on British soil

The UK Foreign Office said that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband met with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, telling him that London "will not tolerate any intimidation, threats, or hostile activity on British soil" by groups linked to Iran.

The ministry added in a statement that Miliband and Araghchi also discussed the war in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the UK's "firm resolve to confront threats posed by Iran-linked groups on British territory."

The statement said, "The Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the United Kingdom's firm determination to counter threats posed by Iran-linked groups on British soil, including attacks on Jews in Britain."

In July, the UK banned support for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and an affiliated group following a series of anti-Semitic attacks, using new legal powers aimed at stopping the use of state-backed proxies. Iran has previously denied using proxies. The British statement did not specify Araghchi's response to Miliband's remarks.

Last week, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre reported that cyber actors linked to the Iranian state used spyware known as ChiselBreak to steal emails, text messages, and other sensitive information through targeted phishing campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.

The ministry statement added, "The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate any intimidation, threats, or hostile activity on its soil, and outlined the measures the government has taken in response."