A Shi'ite summer school camp in England, known as Camp Wilayah, has been cancelled due to what its organizer described as safety threats, following accusations by a right-wing political party that it has ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“In light of serious threats to the safety of children at the camp, we regret to announce that this year’s Camp Wilayah will not proceed,” the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM) said in a statement.
AIM, a charity dedicated to promoting Shi'ite Islam, organizes the annual four-day summer camp for children aged nine to 14.
The event follows specific Islamic rules, such as gender segregation, mandatory hijab for girls, and loose clothing.
The AIM website does not list its leadership or staff, but social media posts from past events show an apparent association with Hasan Ali al-Taraiki, a Shi'ite cleric.
“No evidence of wrongdoing has ever been found at Camp Wilayah, yet our children are being punished simply for their faith,” the AIM statement said. "To attack such a wholesome and positive tradition is shameful, especially when threats are made by the Reform Party to mobilize protests and disrupt children’s camps."
On social media, AIM has repeatedly praised Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promoted his books, and shared his speeches.
“The idea that children should be allowed to attend camps run by ‘supporters of the Iranian regime’ is concerning,” said Robert Jenrick, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice.
“AIM operates under the umbrella of the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly, an Iran-based organization whose leaders are appointed in Tehran and have historically been close to Ali Khamenei,” UK-based human rights lawyer Omid Shams told Iran International on Monday.
The push to cancel the camp came from the Reform UK party. Its leader, Nigel Farage, said Camp Wilayah has “clear and troubling ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Regime.”
“We will not be intimidated, we will not retreat, and we will continue to build a stronger, fairer society for everyone,” AIM said in another statement.
Security officials have warned of an increasing threat from Iran, saying Tehran has used groups in the UK to expand its influence.
On June 30, a report by The Telegraph accused Iran of conducting a “shadow war” inside the United Kingdom that extends beyond sanctions violations and includes propaganda, financial networks, and digital disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing society
In July, John Woodcock, Baron Walney, the UK government’s former extremism adviser, said: “We cannot allow propaganda and influence from this theocratic dictatorship to be spread to children in the UK.”
Two London charities with alleged links to Iran — the Dar Alhekma Trust and the Abrar Islamic Foundation — are currently under investigation by the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit. Both deny any wrongdoing.
