Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has confirmed that a major UK inquiry into foreign political interference will specifically examine Iran's alleged attempts to influence the debate on Scottish independence.
Inquiry to Scrutinise 'All Actors' in Democratic Process
Mr Alexander stated it was 'right and appropriate' for the investigation to look at 'all actors' seeking to sway democratic decisions within the United Kingdom. The announcement came during a visit to Grangemouth, where he was questioned on the probe's scope.
He pointed to a notable event in June as evidence warranting scrutiny. 'When the Americans took the action that they did, we saw a significant reduction in the number of Iranian bots promoting Scottish independence on Scottish social media sites,' Alexander said, referencing US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Evidence of Coordinated 'Natbot' Campaign
Research conducted in the summer by the disinformation firm Cyabra provided concrete data supporting these concerns. The analysis found that a quarter of 5,000 pro-independence accounts it examined were identified as Iranian-linked fakes, often dubbed 'Natbots'.
Further evidence emerged when the social media platform X introduced a transparency feature revealing the country of origin for posts. This tool traced large numbers of accounts cheerleading for Scottish separation back to Iran. The coincidence of these accounts falling silent following the military strikes in June strongly suggested they were part of a coordinated foreign bot network.
Political Reactions and Calls for Cooperation
Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr welcomed the investigation, criticising some SNP politicians for their past engagement with such accounts. 'SNP politicians were far too willing to promote and legitimise these accounts simply because they appeared to be cheering on independence,' he claimed.
Kerr called on First Minister John Swinney to publicly condemn bad-faith actors, ensure SNP colleagues stop amplifying disinformation, and commit to full and transparent co-operation with the inquiry. In June, when SNP constitution secretary Angus Robertson was questioned about Iran using 'Yes' bots, he dismissed the line of questioning as an attempt to 'smear' independence supporters.
Broader Context of Foreign Interference
This investigation into overseas influence follows the high-profile case of former Reform Party politician Nathan Gill, who was jailed for ten-and-a-half years last month after admitting to taking bribes from a Russian agent while serving as an MEP.
The inquiry will be led by former Scottish Government civil servant Philip Rycroft. It also builds upon a 2020 Westminster security report which found 'credible' evidence that Russia had attempted to influence the Scottish independence referendum.
The SNP was approached for comment on the latest developments.
