Met Police protection is still in place at the London headquarters of an Iranian news channel whose journalists have received death threats from Tehran after airing footage of anti-regime demonstrations into the Middle Eastern nation.
Outside the offices of Iran International in Chiswick, west London, armed police and Jankels multi-role armoured vehicles have been observed.
The structure is apparently surrounded by high metal fencing and concrete Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HMV) obstacles, which were erected overnight between Friday and Saturday.
It’s not the first time they’ve been called into action, as anti-terror police were also dispatched to defend the television studio last weekend.
Since the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, Iran has been enveloped by massive public protests, which have been covered by the Farsi-language television channel.
Amini died in detention after being seized by Iranian morality police in Tehran on the grounds that she wore her headscarf too loosely.
It has caused considerable protests as Iran International has been broadcasting back to Iran via satellite 24 hours a day.
The police have stated that they are responding to potential threats emanating from Iran against a number of British citizens.
A representative for the Met Police stated, ‘Those affected have been given the proper advice and support, and a variety of precautionary security measures have been implemented to minimise these threats.
“These include the deployment of openly armed police officers in the neighborhood of the west London offices of a Persian-language media company established in the United Kingdom, however we will not go into further detail.”
This is a precaution, and we ask the people to remain vigilant but not scared by the police presence in the area.
Together with MI5, the Met Police has deployed in force to protect the approximately 100 employees of Iran International, some of whom have received death threats.
An insider at the station stated last week that the armed officers’ presence outside the headquarters was’very disturbing’ and’must be predicated on a specific danger to us’.
Many of the rallies in Iran have demanded the abolition of the Islamic Republic’s repressive rule.
Instead of heeding the calls for a stop to the persecution, the authorities have detained thousands of people and attacked the West, blaming the media of inciting civil unrest.
On November 16, the head of MI5 shockingly stated that Iran had prepared to kill or kidnap at least ten British people it deems to be ‘enemy of the regime’ on British territory in only this year.
Director general Ken McCallum stated that while Tehran has always employed violence to stifle domestic opponents, its “aggressive intelligence agencies” have now crossed the line to actively threaten the United Kingdom.
“At its most extreme, this involves plans to kidnap or even murder British or British-based individuals considered as regime adversaries,” he said.
Director general Ken McCallum stated that while Tehran has always employed violence to stifle domestic opponents, its “aggressive intelligence agencies” have now crossed the line to actively threaten the United Kingdom.
“At its most extreme, this involves plans to kidnap or even murder British or British-based individuals considered as regime adversaries,” he said.
Since January alone, at least 10 such potential threats have been identified.
Since January alone, at least 10 such potential threats have been identified.
Foreign Secretary James Celverly stated earlier this month that he was compelled to summon Iran’s charge d’affaires Mehdi Hosseini Matin in order to make it plain that ‘any form of intimidation’ against British-based journalists would not be permitted.
It occurred after the police reported receiving “credible information” that Iranian security forces were threatening British journalists.
Today, the niece of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a prominent human rights crusader, called on international countries to sever all connections with Tehran due to its deadly crackdown on public discontent.
A video of a statement by Farideh Moradkhani, an engineer whose late father was a famous opposition figure married to Khamenei’s sister, was extensively posted online after her arrest on November 23, according to activist news agency HRANA.
Moradkhani stated in the video, “O free people, stand with us and urge your governments to stop backing this murderous and child-killing tyranny.”
This regime is not faithful to any of its theological tenets and follows no norms other than force and retaining control.
The office of Khamenei did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Reuters.
HRANA asserts that 450 demonstrators, including 63 minors, have been slain in almost two months of countrywide turmoil as of yesterday.
It was reported that sixty members of the security forces were dead and 18,173 demonstrators have been jailed.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the protests offer one of the greatest threats to the country’s clerical leadership.
Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, a member of parliament from the predominantly Kurdish city of Mahabad, stated on Sunday that as many as 105 people were killed during the protests in Kurdish-populated areas. According to the Entekhan website, he was speaking in a parliamentary debate.
It is believed that hundreds, if not thousands, of demonstrators have been killed by security forces in an increasingly violent crackdown despite widespread internet outages in the country.
Rights groups accuse security forces of firing live ammunition and birdshot at demonstrators, as well as beating them with batons, as evidenced in a number of online videos.
Additionally, Iranians have used the World Cup in Qatar to express their discontent with the Islamic Republic.
During England’s match against Iran, Iranian spectators chanted Amini’s name, held signs and wore T-shirts with protest slogans, and jeered during the national anthem.
But tensions escalated further last week when Israel’s intelligence chief claimed Iran was considering an attack on the World Cup to divert attention from domestic protests.
Major General Aharon Haliva warned that Tehran may launch an attack against the Qatari soccer tournament in order to destabilize the region.
»Met Police protect Iran news channel’s London HQ after death threats«