The United Kingdom government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and targeted two Iranian nationals with asset freezes and travel bans following allegations of hostile state-backed activities on British soil and abroad.
​The diplomatic escalation took place on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the FCDO headquarters in Whitehall, London. UK officials instructed senior diplomatic staff to formally deliver a strong rebuke to the Iranian Ambassador to the UK, condemning Tehran’s alleged orchestration of espionage, intimidation, and threat plots against individuals and infrastructure.
​Alongside the formal diplomatic summons, the UK Government announced targeted sanctions against two Iranian nationals, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked figure Ruhollah Bazghandi, for their role in planning, facilitating, or attempting attacks overseas and within British borders.
​Addressing the House of Commons in Parliament later in the afternoon, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband affirmed the government’s stance, declaring:
​”Today I instructed my department to summon the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Kingdom to reiterate this message in its entirety. Britain will not tolerate threats on our soil. This Government will never waver in our commitment to tackling Iran’s unacceptable actions and protecting our national security.”
​Additional details surfaced regarding state-backed interference and regional operational plots, including a suspected reconnaissance plot connected to security installations. Speaking before MPs, Home Office official Andy Burnham confirmed government intelligence assessments linking hostile activities directly to Tehran:
​”I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams.”
​The measures mark a sharp deterioration in UK-Iran relations following a series of disrupted plots on British territory in recent years. Under the newly enacted state threat provisions, targeted individuals face immediate freezing of UK-held financial assets alongside an absolute ban on entering or transiting through the United Kingdom.
​The Iranian Embassy in London has not yet issued a formal public response to the summons or the sanctions package.
