Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, has warned of a major shift in Tehran's ambitions to attack the United Kingdom. He stated that Iran is seeking to intensify its attacks beyond traditional targets, such as Iranians opposed to the country's Islamic authorities, and is now focusing on harder, high-security targets including military sites and bases.
This warning follows statements from PM Burnham, who said an attempted plot at an air force base hosting US bombers was almost certainly coordinated in Tehran. McCallum indicated that the suspected September plot to attack a U.S.-run military air base is not a unique occurrence and that recent attacks and attempts were part of a larger plot by Iran.
The MI5 chief also accused Tehran and Moscow of escalating their hybrid campaigns on British soil, calling Iran-led attacks on Jewish communities sickening. In response to these threats, 50 arrests were made in the past year to disrupt Iran-led operations.