British Police Charge Two Iranians Over Manchester Terror Plot

Two Iranian nationals have been charged in Britain with preparing a terrorist attack against the Jewish community in Manchester, the Metropolitan Police said Friday, according to NBC News. The alleged plot was timed for the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, were charged with "engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts" on or before September 20, police said in a statement cited by NBC News. Both men were arrested in Manchester earlier this month.

What are Salehi and Ahmadyan accused of doing?

According to the Metropolitan Police statement, the two men had components for manufacturing an improvised explosive device and had conducted reconnaissance of potential targets. Police said the pair had allegedly been in contact with an overseas third party who might be located in Iran in connection with the plot. No further detail on the identity of that third party or the specific targets under surveillance was included in the police account reported by NBC News.

How does the case connect to Iran?

The Metropolitan Police statement frames the alleged contact with a party possibly in Iran as central to the case, though it stops short of attributing direction of the plot to the Iranian government. The charges arrive amid a string of British security actions this year tied to suspected Iran-linked activity, including a separate operation days earlier near a U.K. air base.

What happened at RAF Fairford?

On Monday, police arrested five British nationals in connection with a security operation near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force station about 90 minutes west of London used to support U.S. Air Force strikes on Iran, NBC News reported, citing counterterrorism officials running the operation. The five men, all from London and in their early to mid-20s, were arrested Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses after three vehicles were seen moving toward the base. They were later released on bail. On Thursday, police arrested a dual U.K.-Iranian national in relation to that incident, according to the same report. Authorities have not publicly stated whether the Fairford arrests and the Manchester charges are connected.

What happens next in the Manchester case?

NBC News' report does not specify a court date, bail status, or plea for Salehi and Ahmadyan. The "engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts" charge is a standard U.K. terrorism offense used when suspects are alleged to have taken concrete steps — such as acquiring materials or scouting locations — short of carrying out an attack. The report does not detail what evidence, beyond the alleged IED components and reconnaissance, prosecutors intend to present.

Timeline of the case

• On or before Sept. 20: Alleged conduct in preparation for terrorist acts occurs, per the charge sheet described by police.
• Early September: Salehi, 34, and Ahmadyan, 36, are arrested in Manchester.
• Sunday (week of Sept. 28): Five British nationals from London are arrested near RAF Fairford after three vehicles are spotted approaching the base.
• Monday: Police confirm the Fairford-area arrests publicly as part of a security operation tied to the base's role supporting U.S. strikes on Iran.
• Thursday: A dual U.K.-Iranian national is arrested in relation to the Fairford incident; the five men arrested earlier are released on bail.
• Friday, Oct. 2: Metropolitan Police announce charges against Salehi and Ahmadyan over the Manchester plot targeting the Jewish community.

The cluster of arrests and charges across two separate operations — one in Manchester aimed at the Jewish community around Yom Kippur, the other near a U.K. air base tied to American operations against Iran — has drawn scrutiny to how British counterterrorism police are tracking suspected Iran-linked threats this autumn. NBC News' report does not indicate whether British officials consider the incidents part of a single coordinated effort or separate investigations that happen to overlap in time and nationality of suspects.

Neither the Metropolitan Police statement nor the NBC News account includes comment from defense attorneys for Salehi or Ahmadyan, nor does it cite any statement from the Iranian government regarding the allegations. HTT News has not independently verified details beyond those reported by NBC News and will update this account if British prosecutors release additional charging documents or if Tehran responds to the allegations.

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