Western allies warn of growing Iranian intelligence threats
'We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,' the joint statement released on Thursday said.
'These services are increasingly collaborating with international criminal organizations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials in Europe and North America," it noted.
The statement was signed the United States, Britain, France and 11 other NATO allies, including Albania, Belgium, Britain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden.
Non-NATO member Austria, home to the UN nuclear watchdog headquarters, also signed.
While the statement did not point to a specific incident, the signatures called on Iran 'to immediately put an end to such illegal activities in [their] respective territories.'
The United States and the United Kingdom have previously warned for Tehran-backed plots on their soil. Just last month, the UK Intelligence Committee reported 15 murder and kidnap attempts against its citizens and residents between January 2022 and August 2023.
Iran's embassy in London had denied the allegations, calling them "unfounded, politically motivated and hostile."
"Such accusations are not only defamatory but also dangerous, fuelling unnecessary tensions and undermining diplomatic norms," the embassy said in a statement.
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