Britain will "not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil" from groups connected to Iran, foreign secretary Ed Miliband told Abbas Araghchi during a face-to-face meeting.
The encounter with Iran’s foreign minister took place on Thursday on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to the Foreign Office, discussions focused on the war in the Middle East, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, alongside the UK’s "unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups in UK soil".
In a readout from the meeting, the department said: “The foreign secretary told Araghchi that Iran should choose de-escalation and diplomacy instead of prolonging the war.
“He underlined the importance of restoring freedom of navigation and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the impact continued disruption has on global security and economic stability.
“The foreign secretary reiterated the UK’s unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community.
“The foreign secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the government has taken in response.”
National Cyber Security Centre said last week Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as "CHOSEN BRICK" to steal emails, messages and other sensitive information through "spear-phishing" campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.
"The details of this cyber campaign reveal how Iran ruthlessly uses digital surveillance in pursuit of its aim to repress critics of the regime, stealing emails and messages and accessing devices," Paul Chichester, NCSC director of operations, said in a statement.
The malware, according to the advisory, can collect information from contact lists, emails and social media accounts, capture screen content and access a device's microphone.
The NCSC said some victims' personal details had later appeared on pro-Iranian leak sites. The FBI, in its own advisory, said Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) was using the malware to "collect intelligence, conduct data leaks, and inflict reputational harm against their intended targets."
Mr Miliband also brought up the detention of Craig and Lindsay Foreman from East Sussex, who were arrested by the Iranian authorities in January last year as they travelled through the country on a motorcycle trip. They are currently being held in Tehran’s Evin prison.
The foreign secretary repeated the call for them to be immediately released, “stressing that their welfare remains a priority for the government”.
