Britain charged two Iranian nationals with terrorism offences on Friday over an alleged plot targeting Manchester's Jewish community on the eve of Yom Kippur. Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, face charges of preparing to commit or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism.

Counterterrorism police stated that Salehi and Ahmadyan allegedly tried to acquire components to make an improvised explosive device and conducted reconnaissance on potential targets. Police added that the two men had allegedly been in contact with an overseas third party who might be in Iran.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the country faces serious threats from the Iranian regime, which targets Jewish communities and tries to silence overseas critics through proxies and criminal networks. Iran has consistently denied such accusations.

Britain has experienced a significant rise in antisemitism since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, including a series of attacks on London Jewish sites earlier this year. Mahmood noted that the two suspects arrived in Britain on a small boat from Europe several years ago.

The defendants are scheduled to appear at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.