Two Iranians charged over alleged plot targeting Jewish community in UK
British prosecutors have charged two Iranian nationals, Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, with preparing a terrorist attack on the Jewish community in Manchester on or before Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement that began at sundown on 20 September. Counter‑terrorism police say the pair, arrested in Manchester on the day the holy day started, sought to obtain components for an improvised explosive device and carried out reconnaissance of potential targets. Investigators allege they were in contact with an overseas third‑party, possibly based in Iran, who may have directed the plot. Both men arrived in the United Kingdom several years ago on a small boat from Europe; one was granted asylum while the other held a live asylum claim. They are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Saturday.
The charges arrive against a backdrop of heightened concern over Iranian‑linked threats to Britain’s Jewish population. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned that the Iranian regime routinely targets Jewish communities and silences overseas critics through proxies and criminal networks. The timing is especially sensitive, coming just weeks after the 2025 Heaton Park synagogue attack that left two dead, and amid a broader rise in antisemitic incidents across the UK. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans highlighted the community’s anxiety, noting the plot’s coincidence with the high‑holy‑day period and the anniversary of the previous attack.
Authorities stress that this case is unrelated to a separate alleged Iranian plot targeting RAF Fairford, an air base used by the United States for operations against Iran, which involved a dual UK‑Iranian national arrested earlier in the week. While Tehran denied involvement in the Fairford incident, British officials maintain that Iran’s influence extends to covert operations on British soil. The disruption of the Manchester plot underscores the ongoing vigilance of UK counter‑terrorism units and raises questions about the effectiveness of existing safeguards for vulnerable communities, as well as the broader challenge of countering state‑sponsored extremist networks operating through diaspora actors.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economy
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🏙️Local Economy
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❤️Health
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🏠Housing
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