TEHRAN – The United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police has released all five Iranian nationals arrested earlier this month on suspicion of terrorism-related activities, marking a dramatic collapse of a high-profile investigation that Iranians have condemned as a politically motivated media spectacle.

The Iranian Embassy in London swiftly responded to the news, declaring in a statement on Saturday: “According to Metropolitan Police News, all Iranian nationals who were arrested on 3 May on terrorism-related allegations have been released. Much Ado About Nothing!”

The embassy’s sharp rebuke underscores Tehran’s skepticism of British counter-terrorism narratives, which Iranians allege have been weaponized to malign the Islamic Republic.

A case built on thin air

The arrests on 3 May, conducted across London, Swindon, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester, were initially framed by UK security officials as part of a “pre-planned operation” targeting a suspected plot against “specific premises.”

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, claimed at the time that the arrests were driven by “concerns about a suspected plot,” adding that detectives were “working to assess all the evidence.”

Yet two weeks later, four of the five men—identified only as [A-D]—were released without charge, despite being held under the Terrorism Act (TACT) and subjected to extended detention warrants.

The fifth individual, [E], had earlier been released on bail under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

Notably, police provided no evidence of criminal acts, operational plans, or motives, nor did they clarify the alleged link to a “foreign government”—a thinly veiled reference to Iran.

Skepticism mounts over UK’s motives

The abrupt release of all suspects has prompted Iranian officials and analysts to assert that the operation was driven more by political maneuvering than by authentic security concerns.

“These actions are the result of Britain’s erroneous perspective on Iran. Accusations built on baseless conjecture are both damaging and unconstructive,” an Iranian source told the Tehran Times when the arrests first surfaced.  

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged British officials to respect the rights of detained Iranians, while adding: “If credible allegations of misconduct are established, Iran stands ready to assist investigations.”  

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei dismissed British claims of Iranian ties to criminal networks in Europe as “baseless and unjust” in April, suggesting that London may have attempted to scapegoat Iran to divert attention from its own destabilizing policies in West Asia.

“Despite Iran’s repeated calls for evidence, London continues to make unfounded allegations without presenting any proof,” Baqaei asserted.

Analysts speculate that the timing of the arrests—amid delicate indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States—may indicate an attempt to sway diplomatic outcomes, particularly given that the UK may have felt sidelined in possible emerging developments between Tehran and Washington.

Iran has consistently warned against external pressure tactics outside formal negotiation frameworks.