UK Summons Islamic Republic’s Envoy Over Threats To Journos

In a statement on Friday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, "I summoned the Iranian representative today to make clear that we do not tolerate threats to life and intimidation of any kind towards journalists, or any individual, living in the UK."

“The UK will always stand up to threats from foreign nations,” read the statement.

Criticizing the Iranian regime, it added that the Islamic Republic responded to widespread internal protests with the suppression of freedom of expression and the targeting of media outlets operating in Iran.

It noted that more than 40 journalists have been arrested and detained since the current wave of protests began following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The journalists who reported the circumstances around her death have been also arrested.

The Metropolitan Police formally notified two of our journalists about an imminent, credible and significant risk to their lives and those of their families.

Earlier in the week, Iran’s intelligence minister implicitly threatened the UK of terrorist operations after the country decried the attempted menacing acts.

Iranian vice president Mohammad Hosseini also emphasized Thursday that the Islamic Republic now considers Iran International as a terrorist network. Iranian intelligence also arrested Elham Afkari Thursday, claiming that she was “an agent” of Iran International. Afkari is the sister of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari who was executed in September 2020, after participating in protests.