British Authorities Charge Two Iranian Nationals Over Alleged Terror Plot Targeting Jewish Community in Manchester

British authorities have charged two Iranian nationals with planning a terrorist attack against the Jewish community in northern England. The UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Friday that Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, face charges of preparing to commit or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism in Manchester “on or before” Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which began at sundown on September 20.

Police stated that the two men were allegedly in contact with an overseas third-party potentially located in Iran regarding the plot. Although specific details of the alleged scheme have not been disclosed, authorities confirmed its disruption. Counterterrorism police reported that Salehi and Ahmadyan, both arrested in Manchester on September 20, attempted to acquire components and equipment for an improvised explosive device and conducted reconnaissance on potential targets.

The suspects are scheduled to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, according to the CPS. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood noted that Salehi and Ahmadyan arrived in the UK via a small boat from Europe several years prior, with one having been granted asylum and the other holding a live asylum claim, the Home Office confirmed.

“It is no secret that this country faces a range of serious threats from the Iranian regime,” Mahmood stated, adding that they target Jewish communities and attempt to silence overseas critics through proxies and criminal networks. Iran has previously denied similar accusations.

The charges arrive one year after a knife and gun attack by a British citizen of Syrian descent killed two people at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in northern Manchester on October 2, 2025. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing, acknowledged that the news during the High Holy day period has caused concern, coinciding with last year's anniversary and increasing antisemitic incidents across the UK.

Detectives clarified there is no connection between these charges and a separate suspected plot involving the RAF Fairford air base, which led to the arrest of a dual UK-Iranian national on Thursday, according to Reuters. Britain stated Tehran was involved in an earlier plot targeting an air base utilized by the US to launch attacks against Iran, while Iran denied involvement and termed the speculation “Iranophobia propaganda.”