Iran Accused of Over 20 Assassination and Kidnapping Plots in Europe and North America

Western allies, including the US and 13 European countries, accuse Iran's intelligence agencies of a surge in assassination, kidnapping, and harassment plots targeting people in Europe and North America. The countries call on Iran to stop such illegal activities and have disrupted over 20 Iran-linked plots to kidnap or kill individuals. The US has also charged individuals over alleged Iranian plots to assassinate a dissident Iranian-American journalist and then-US-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Western allies, including the United States and 13 European countries, have united to condemn a surge in assassination, kidnapping, and harassment plots by Iranian intelligence services targeting individuals in Europe and North America. The countries, in a joint statement, expressed their opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to violate their sovereignty [1].

The countries, including Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, accused Iran of collaborating with international criminal networks to carry out these plots. They called on Iran to immediately stop such illegal activities [2].

This latest condemnation follows a series of disrupted plots in the UK, where British authorities have thwarted more than 20 Iran-linked attempts to kidnap or kill individuals since early 2022. The Dutch intelligence agency has also accused Tehran of staging a 2024 assassination attempt on an Iranian living in that country, which was thwarted by police intervention [2].

The US Justice Department has indicted three members of a European criminal gang who allegedly undertook a Tehran-backed plot to assassinate a dissident Iranian-American journalist. Additionally, US authorities have charged a man over an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate then-US-presidential candidate Donald Trump [2].

The escalation in these plots comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel has long been concerned about Iran's support for militant groups that challenge its security and its nuclear program, which Israel perceives as an existential threat. Israel has conducted covert operations against Iran and its allies to counter its influence [3].

This situation underscores the complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East, where regional rivalries and international security concerns intersect. As these tensions continue to escalate, the international community will be closely monitoring the situation and the response from Iran.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/uk-us-france-11-other-nations-condemn-iranian-intelligence-threats-2025-07-31/
[2] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-01/western-allies-accuse-iran-of-assassination-kidnapping-plots/105599350
[3] https://www.crisisgroup.org/trigger-list/iran-usisrael-trigger-list/flashpoints/israel