PARIS — French authorities thwarted a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris on Saturday and opened an anti-terrorism investigation. Three suspects have been arrested.

On Saturday morning, Paris police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the premises of the Bank of America in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office opened an investigation into alleged terrorism-related offenses.

French authorities are investigating a suspected link to Iran after thwarting the attack. Authorities suspect there could be a link to Iran due to similarities to other recent attempted attacks in Europe that a pro-Iran group claimed credit for.

French authorities said they were making a direct link with Iran because the tactics used were similar to those in attacks in the Netherlands and Belgium. In recent attempted attacks in the Netherlands and Belgium, a pro-Iranian group claimed the attacks were connected to the conflict in the Middle East.

The group known on Telegram as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, or the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, claimed responsibility for an attack in London last week in which four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire. Nuñez said Iranian intelligence services use proxies, subcontractors including common criminals, to carry out highly targeted actions aimed at U.S. interests, the Jewish community, or Iranian opposition figures.

French authorities have stepped up security around key personalities and sites, including providing personal protection to some figures from the Iranian opposition.