Iranian Journalists in London Face Arson and Death Threats from Tehran Regime
Journalists working for Persian-language media outlets in London have reported a disturbing escalation in threats and physical attacks, which they attribute directly to the regime in Tehran. This alarming situation has sparked urgent calls for enhanced protection and support for those targeted.
Arson Attack on Iran International Offices
Last week, the London offices of Iran International, a news channel opposed to the Iranian government, became the target of an attempted arson attack. According to the Metropolitan Police, an "ignited container" was thrown into the car park of a neighbouring building. This incident is part of a broader pattern of intimidation that has left staff fearing for their lives.
One journalist from Iran International described how violence has become normalised among the team. "Our minds are ignoring these ugly things automatically," they said. "Today, our British staff said to us, 'How brave you are, bravo!' But to tell you the truth, what really happens is that we are fucked up. We've tricked our brains into normalising these threats and not fearing at all because otherwise we will need to go to the mental hospital."
Chilling Intimidation Tactics
The threats extend beyond physical attacks to psychological warfare. Another Iran International journalist revealed that Iranian security forces showed a photo of his home balcony in London to his family in Iran, warning them that "we are so close to him." He then received a direct message threatening to "cut you into pieces and send each separately to your family."
Journalists from Iran International have faced multiple attempted assassinations and abductions. In 2024, TV presenter Pouria Zeraati was stabbed by a group of men outside his home in Wimbledon, south London, forcing him to relocate abroad for safety.
Escalation Amid Regional Conflicts
An Iranian journalist working for BBC Persian in London reported that threats have intensified since the Israel-Iran war in June 2025 and again during mass street protests in Iran in December and early January. Security forces in Iran told her family she would be charged with moharebeh, or waging war against God, carrying a potential death sentence.
"As soon as there is a crisis that's when they [the Iranian regime] start to create fear, with more arrests, more executions and more threats and attacks on journalists," she explained. "They just want their narrative to be the only one that people in Iran hear."
She added, "I was crying for three days after the calls [with my family] because I was so worried about them. [As for myself in London] as much as you can be careful, you no longer feel safe. You are here living and working in the UK and then suddenly you find [the violence] has reached here. It's really scary."
Transnational Repression in the UK
Counter-terrorism experts have previously highlighted how foreign states use criminal proxies to carry out violence in the UK. A significant number of Iranian journalists based in London have already been targeted.
An Iranian activist supporting threatened individuals in London noted that many journalists have been told to "stop their work or their life would be in danger." "The threats have gone off the scale," she said. "It has become normal for journalists to be looking over their shoulder when outside and the ones who send their kids out to school suffer even more. They tell me they are not getting the support and protection in line with the level of threat they are receiving."
Expert Analysis on State-Sponsored Campaigns
Dr Lucia Ardovini, a founding member of the Tackling Transnational Repression in the UK Working Group and lecturer at Lancaster University, explained that attacks are often carried out by diaspora members who "act as informal agents of the state fuelled by a deep-seated belief in official narratives that frame dissenters as national traitors or threats to stability."
"The recent attack on the offices of Iran International in London is a clear example of these dynamics, as this followed a longstanding campaign by the Iranian state to label the outlet a 'terrorist organisation', a narrative that trickles down through community channels and online forums," Ardovini stated.
She added, "Since the start of the war [between the US, Israel and Iran] the Iranian community has been targeted. There has not been a satisfactory response from the government. They [Iran International] are directly challenging the narrative of the Iranian regime and have a very big following in Iran."
Trauma from Covering Violent Crackdowns
Beyond the immediate threats, journalists are also grappling with the psychological toll of covering violent events. They described witnessing "horrific footage" from the violent crackdown on street protests in January, where an estimated tens of thousands died.
"Imagine what we have been through with the January suppression ... we saw two wars with corpses, damaged brains and a sea of blood from our own people in Iran," one journalist recounted, highlighting the compounded stress of their work environment.
