British MPs grill Iran envoy over threats against UK-based journalists

Iran’s ambassador to London has dismissed allegations that the Islamic Republic was involved in threats against UK-based Iranian journalists in his first appearance before the UK Parliament.

Ambassador Ali Mousavi was attending a meeting of the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on the Iran-Israel conflict on June 17, where MPs grilled him over what they called Tehran-backed plots against dissident Iranian journalists in Britain.

“These issues are some allegations against and blaming my country,” he said according to an official transcript. “We have some criticism regarding BBC Persian’s activities. They are intervening in Iranian domestic affairs.”

Pressed by MP John Whittingdale on more than 20 plots cited by MI5 targeting exiled Iranian journalists, Mousavi denied Iranian involvement and pushed for bilateral security discussions instead.

“If you have any evidence, please submit it, and we will consider it,” he said.

Mousavi said Tehran was ready to co-operate with British agencies but deflected on specific allegations.

In the meeting with Mousavi, MP Whittingdale said he had visited the headquarters of Iran International "whose journalists have been subjected to threats from Iran on a daily basis."

The lawmaker, who leads the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Media Freedom, also cited constant harassment of the families of BBC Persian journalists in Iran.

Mousavi appeared before the UK parliament a few days before the family of an Iran International presenter was detained in Tehran in what the Persian-language broadcaster called an attempt to coerce her resignation.

“This deeply reprehensible tactic marks a dangerous escalation,” Iran International said.

Earlier this month, the BBC also accused Iran of intensifying its harassment of BBC Persian journalists by threatening their families inside Iran. The broadcaster described the actions as “a sharp and deeply troubling escalation” of its long-running campaign of intimidation.

RSF urges global action

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday called for global action over what it described as Iran’s escalating use of transnational repression, which appears to have intensified in response to the uncensored coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict.

In a statement, the RSF said it has documented the targeting of hundreds of Iranian diaspora journalists abroad, warning that these actions form part of a broader strategy by Iranian authorities to suppress dissent and restrict press freedom beyond their borders.

In March, the UK government decided to place the Islamic Republic’s intelligence and security establishment on the highest tier of its foreign influence watchlist following threats to Iranian journalists over the past three years.

Under the designation, Iran and anybody acting on its behalf would be deemed a potential security threat and compelled to register their activities in the UK. Not doing so would potentially incur a five-year prison sentence.