By MICHAEL STARR JUNE 10, 2026 17:40 Updated: JUNE 10, 2026 19:39 Twenty-two countries across North America, Europe, and Australia condemned and demanded an end to Iranian regime attacks against Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident sites and individuals within their territories, in a joint statement on Wednesday, in the wake of a series of attacks by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), allegedly an Iranian front group.
The US, the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden condemned the “lethal plotting” and other “malign actions” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its subsidiary bodies.
“We stand united in our determination to protect our countries and our people against these threats. The Islamic Republic of Iran must halt these actions now,” read the statement. “Attempts to kill, kidnap, harass, intimidate, or otherwise attack people on our soil undermine national sovereignty and international norms. These actions must stop immediately. We commend the work of countries to counter these activities, and we are together resolved to undertake further measures to halt them.”
The statement said that it was “deplorable” for the IRGC to use international and local criminal gangs to conduct attacks within their territory, as has been seen in Sweden , Australia, the US, and the UK.
Police secures the area near the Israeli embassy in Stockholm after a suspected shooting on October 1, 2024 (credit: ANDERS WIKLUND/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Image) Iran recruited Swedish gang to carry out attacks
Iran has had a close relationship with the Sweden-based transnational criminal organization Foxtrot, which has been involved in various violent crimes, including contract killings.
Last March, the US sanctioned Foxtrot for its cooperation with the IRGC in attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe, such as the January 2024 Israeli embassy attack. In May 2024, Sweden announced that the Islamic regime was using criminal networks to attack the targets across Europe.
Foxtrot often entices teenagers to commit violent crimes, a tactic adopted by Iran and exported across the world.
Iran was alleged in August by Australian Security Intelligence Organization to have orchestrated at least two antisemitic attacks in its country since 2024, using criminal gangs: the December 2024 Adass Israel Synagogue arson attack in Melbourne and the October 2024 Lewis’ Continental Kitchen arson attack in Sydney. The incidents resulted in the expulsion of Tehran’s ambassador from Canberra.
According to recent allegations made by the US Department of Justice with the arrest of Kataib Hezbollah commander Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, similar attacks continued in Europe under the banner of HAYI.
HAYI attacks claimed across UK, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany
HAYI has claimed responsibility for at least 18 different attacks in Europe since March, including the London Golders Green ambulance arsons and stabbing attacks; and the April Skopje synagogue firebombing. Other alleged HAYI attacks occurred in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany.
Al-Saadi, who was arrested in May for attempting to orchestrate similar attacks against synagogues in the United States, allegedly claimed to a law enforcement agent that HAYI was responsible for a shooting at a Toronto synagogue and US consulate in March.
"We also condemn the recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and US interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya and supported by their intermediaries," the 22 countries said in the joint statement.
HAYI is alleged by the DoJ of being little more than a mask for operations by the Iranian proxy Kataib Hezbollah .
Israel's Foreign Ministry praises decision to condemn Iran-backed terror
The Israeli Foreign Ministry welcomed the Wednesday statement, asserting that the Islamic regime in Iran was "the number one threat to global security and world order" and needed to be confronted by the international community.
"The Iranian regime spreads terror and violence wherever it can. This is its core nature and essence," the MFA said on X/Twitter.
Similar statement made in 2025, amid spike in attacks
In July, a similar statement was released by 14 countries: the US, the UK, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.
“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.
“These Services are increasingly collaborating with international criminal organisations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials in Europe and North America. This is unacceptable,” the countries sa…
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