Nigel Farage says Iranian terrorists now crossing Channel as Reform leader demands answers from PM

Jack Walters
Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:51:03 +0000

Keir Starmer must answer whether Iranian terrorists are crossing the English Channel, Nigel Farage has said.

The Reform UK leader, who was in Golders Green this morning following yesterday's horrific knife attack, pointed out he had been warning about suspected extremists arriving illegally in the UK since 2015.

However, Mr Farage claimed he had received fresh intelligence indicating a new wave of arrivals from Iran.

Speaking to GB News, the Clacton MP said: “I do have a source within the Iranian-Persian diaspora who is one of the best-connected human beings in the world that I know.

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“He told me last night that he knows for a fact that over the course of the last few weeks, there have been Iranian operatives crossing the Channel in small boats.

“To put that in simple terms, we are importing terrorists into our country from across the English Channel."

In a direct message to Sir Keir, Mr Farage added: “I challenge the Government; tell me I’m wrong.”

The Reform UK leader is now publicly demanding a response from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Mr Farage added: "I'm going to ask the Home Secretary publicly, 'Am I right, am I wrong, or do I get a no comment?"

A plurality of small boat migrants have hailed from Iran since the crisis first rocked Britain in 2018.

More than 30,000 Iranians have illegally crossed the Channel during that period, including 4,500 last year.

The figure constitutes around 16 per cent of all small boat arrivals, with Afghans coming in second on 14 per cent and Iraqis making up the third-largest national group on 10 per cent.

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Britain is aware of at least one convicted terrorist who has entered the UK via a small boat.

Iraqi national Rebwar Hamad, 48, was convicted of terrorism offences in Italy before crossing the Channel in September 2025.

He was sentenced to two years and three months at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to arriving without valid entry clearance.

Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti national is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of planning a terror attack after attempting to force entry into the Israeli embassy.

Speaking to GB News from Golders Green, Mr Farage also called on Sir Keir to show leadership after two

The Reform UK leader said: "Expressing solidarity and support frankly isn't much use, because it keeps happening.

"The intervals between these awful assaults get shorter and shorter, and I think there is a sense here in this community that there is sort of a rapid downward spiral of events that actually does now make this an emergency.

"And the Prime Minister keeps saying, 'My thoughts and prayers are with the Jewish community'. I'm sorry, it's absolutely useless.

"Maybe I'm misreading it, but I sense this morning amongst this community that yes, there's fear, of course, but it's almost bordering on anger."

Two men were admitted to hospital following the attack in north London.

The suspect, who Scotland Yard revealed is a Somali-born British national, had previously been referred to Prevent.

GB News has approached the Home Office for comment.