The United States, 13 NATO allies, and Austria have issued a joint warning accusing Iran of escalating cross-border threats, including assassination attempts, kidnappings, and intimidation campaigns targeting dissidents, journalists, and public officials in Europe and North America.
In a strongly worded joint statement released on Thursday, the signatories declared: “We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America. This is unacceptable.”
The group warned that such actions constitute violations of national sovereignty and pledged to coordinate efforts to detect and disrupt Iranian plots. They also demanded that Tehran “immediately put an end to such illegal activities in our respective territories.”
The statement was signed by the United States, Austria, and NATO members including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and others. Austria, the only non-NATO country among the signatories, hosts the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna.
While the declaration did not cite specific cases, it reflects ongoing concerns over Iran’s global intelligence operations. Western intelligence agencies have previously accused Tehran of targeting dissidents abroad, especially members of opposition groups and media organizations critical of the regime.
In the United Kingdom, security services have flagged Iran as a growing threat. Three alleged Iranian agents are currently on trial for allegedly surveilling Farsi-language journalists based in the UK who are critical of the Iranian government.
A recent report by the British Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee described Iran as a “wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat” to the UK.
In Germany, prosecutors recently disclosed the arrest of a man in Denmark suspected of working for Iranian intelligence. He is accused of gathering information on Jewish individuals and institutions in Berlin, potentially in preparation for an attack.
Despite mounting threats, earlier this year the Trump administration ended government-funded security details for several former U.S. officials, including ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former Iran envoy Brian Hook—all of whom had been under protection due to credible Iranian threats.
The joint declaration comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between Iran and the West, driven by disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program, its support for militant groups in the Middle East, and growing ties with authoritarian regimes. Western governments now face the added challenge of safeguarding their citizens and institutions from covert Iranian actions on their own soil.
