Security report recognises Iran's targeting of UK-based journalists
The UK’s Intelligence and Security Commitment has published its report on Iran, recognising it poses ‘a significant threat to the UK.’
The report published on 10 July details journalists as among potential targets of the Iranian Intelligence Services (IIS). It states, “The Iranian regime’s primary objective is to preserve the regime and therefore silence critics – including in the UK.”
It reads:
In addition to individuals, the Iranian state targets organisations which it sees as critical of the regime. Examples include Iran International and BBC Persian. Family members of BBC Persian journalists in Iran have reported severe harassment, including being summoned for interrogations and threatened because their family members continue to work for the organisation. In June 2022, BBC Persian complained to the UN about the harassment its staff were receiving from the IIS. In October 2022, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement naming BBC Persian in a list of individuals and organisations sanctioned for supporting terrorism, inciting violence, propagating hate speech and perpetrating human rights abuses.
The Iranian regime engaged in a campaign of intimidation against Iran International, a Farsi-language media organisation (probably due to the publication of anti-Iranian government narratives).
The IIS exerted pressure on family members of the organisation’s journalists within Iran and threatened the journalists directly…In late 2022, there was a credible and imminent threat to the life of UK-based employees of Iran International. The media reported that a “hostile Iranian surveillance team” was allegedly seen outside journalists’ homes and offices.
The NUJ has long highlighted the unacceptable threats wielded by the Iranian regime against UK based journalists and their families. Harassment and attacks have extended to family members based in Iran, as part of efforts to intimidate and encourage resignations from journalists’ at BBC Persian and Iran International. Read more.
The reportcontinues:
The Iranian threat is more narrowly focused and opportunistic than the more strategic, all-encompassing and well-resourced threats from Russia and China. However, the Iran threat should not be underestimated: it is persistent and – crucially – unpredictable. While Iran is fundamentally a rational actor, it does not always appear to act in a coherent way and is prone to misunderstanding actions that others take.
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