MI5 chief warns UK of rising threats from Iran, Russia and AI

Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, delivered his annual threat update speech on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, at MI5 headquarters in London.3 He warned that the UK faces unprecedented security threats from hostile states, including Iran and Russia.12,11,8,4 McCallum said Iran has shifted to target harder sites such as military bases and is seeking to hit military sites in the UK.9,7,2,1

He said 50 arrests were made in the past year to disrupt Iran‑led operations.5 He said Iran is part of a plot to attack the United Kingdom, including a US‑run airbase.6 McCallum said Russia is a top aggressor and that its hybrid campaigns are increasing.8,3,1

He said far‑right anti‑migrant threats are rising.10 He said the threat level from foreign adversaries has quadrupled over the past decade.3 He said the scale of terrorism and state threats operational missions are roughly equal.3

McCallum said MI5 has caught terrorists seeking to exploit AI, including integrating AI with drones, and warned about the risk of new bioweapons.3,12 He said AI could be used for recruitment and biological warfare.12 He said MI5 is devoting more resources to countering state threats than during the Cold War.3

He said the UK must stay resilient and protect essential services, hospitals, and businesses.12