U.S., U.K., Canada, and 11 European Allies Unite Against Iranian Regime’s Assassination and Kidnapping Plots
July 31, 2025 — In an unprecedented joint declaration, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and 11 European nations have publicly condemned the Iranian regime’s escalating intelligence operations targeting individuals in Europe and North America. The statement, released by the U.S. State Department, highlights a disturbing pattern of assassination plots, kidnapping attempts, and harassment campaigns directed at journalists, dissidents, Jewish communities, and current or former public officials.
The statement was issued collectively by the governments of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, alongside the U.S. and U.K.
“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 statement declared.
According to the joint note, the Iranian regime is increasingly relying on collaboration with international criminal networks to carry out these activities, further deepening the threat to global security and rule of law. Western intelligence agencies have, in recent years, identified multiple operations directed or financed by Iranian intelligence targeting exiled dissidents, opposition leaders, journalists, and minority communities abroad.
Coordinated International Alarm
The joint statement reflects growing alarm over Iran’s extraterritorial operations, which have led to foiled plots and arrests of Iranian operatives in several European capitals and North America. Intelligence officials across the Atlantic have warned of Tehran’s expanding use of proxies and cyber capabilities to intimidate and silence opposition voices in the diaspora.
The allied governments emphasized their firm commitment to defend their sovereignty and ensure that such threats are met with strong diplomatic and security responses. They have also pledged to enhance intelligence cooperation and law enforcement coordination to preempt further actions by Iran’s intelligence apparatus.
“We consider these types of attacks, regardless of the target, as violations of our sovereignty,” the statement read. “We are committed to working together to prevent these actions from happening and we call on the Iranian authorities to immediately put an end to such illegal activities in our respective territories.”
Background: A Persistent Pattern
Over the past three years, Western governments have accused the Iranian regime of orchestrating multiple plots abroad:
- In 2022, Iranian operatives were accused of planning to assassinate U.S. officials and Iranian-American dissidents.
- In 2023, security services in Germany and the Netherlands disrupted plots against Jewish community centers.
- In 2024, several Iranian nationals were arrested in France and the U.K. for surveillance and attempted targeting of opposition figures.
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Most recently, Canadian authorities reported that members of Iran regime’s intelligence network had been involved in intimidation campaigns against Iranian dissidents living in Canada.
These acts are widely seen as part of Iran regime’s strategy to export repression and silence dissent far beyond its borders.
The joint statement also signals increasing isolation of Tehran on the world stage, as its domestic crackdown is now coupled with cross-border operations that violate fundamental international norms.
By speaking with one voice, these 14 nations have sent a clear message: threats and violence by Iran’s regime on foreign soil will not be tolerated. The statement concludes with a call to Iranian regime authorities to immediately cease all such activities—a warning that further actions may follow if the regime continues to threaten safety and sovereignty abroad.
