Hezbollah Propagandist Sat on Board of London Media Firm Suspected of Spreading Pro-Iran Disinformation
A London-based media company, feared to be disseminating pro-Iran misinformation, had a senior Hezbollah propagandist serving on its board of directors, according to a Daily Mail investigation. Nasser Akhdar was officially listed on Companies House as a director of the Arabic Islamic Broadcasting Union Ltd (AIBU) before records were updated in a manner that concealed his involvement.
Key Figure in Iran's Communications Network
Akhdar is described as a senior spokesman for Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese militia designated as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom. He has also been identified by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think-tank as a media strategist for Yemen's Houthis, another Iranian proxy group supporting Tehran in its conflicts with the United States and Israel.
Furthermore, Akhdar holds the position of Under-Secretary General at the Islamic Radio and Television Union (IRTVU), which was sanctioned by the United States in 2020 for being owned or controlled by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Roger Macmillan, former director of security at Iran International and an expert on Iranian terrorism, stated: Akhdar appears to be a lynchpin within Iran's communications network, heavily involved in pushing its propaganda in the UK.
Shell Company Suspicions and Obscured Records
The exact function of AIBU remains ambiguous, but specialists suspect it could be a shell company utilised to conduct Iranian influence operations within Britain. Akhdar was appointed as a director on February 22, 2018, and remained listed in the company's annual accounts until 2024. However, on April 10, 2026, the company terminated his appointment retroactively, asserting he had departed on the very day he was appointed in 2018.
This alteration has effectively obscured his connection to the firm. Yaser Alsayegh, another director who signed off on these accounts, was listed from AIBU's inception in 2017. Alsayegh, a British citizen, had his Bahraini citizenship revoked in 2015 due to security concerns.
Links to Controversial Media and Charities
Alsayegh previously served as a director for LuaLuaTV, a contentious Bahraini opposition channel accused of acting as a propaganda arm for the IRGC. This channel has shared content glorifying commanders from Hezbollah and Hamas, including Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader in Gaza who orchestrated the October 7 massacre.
Lord Walney, the Government's former extremism tsar, advocated for banning this network from Britain in January. Ofcom noted it operates solely as an online streaming service in the UK, thus falling outside its Broadcasting Code jurisdiction.
Additionally, Alsayegh directs an unregistered charity named the Al-Mueen Foundation. In 2024, a Telegram account under his name described how a generous donation to the foundation provided funds to the orphans of the martyrs during the Battle of the Al-Aqsa Storm, Hamas's term for the October 7 terrorist attacks that resulted in 1,195 fatalities.
Pattern of Iranian Influence Operations
Jonathan W. Hackett, a retired US marine special operations specialist and author of Iran's Shadow Weapons, suspects AIBU exemplifies a shell company established to advance Iran's ambitions in Western nations. This is common in the US, Canada, UK and many other countries - what the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC do is create shell companies to create distance between Iran and the company, he explained.
Their key goals tend to be influence and finance - they'll use that shell company as a way to recruit people who conduct attacks. They build long-term involvement in communities, especially Shia communities, to develop influence networks for future use. Often, recruits are unaware of their true employer.
Broader Context of Iranian Activities in the UK
This revelation follows a report last month indicating that a network of UK-based charities is being used as soft power hubs for Iran. A landmark study by Lord Walney identified over 30 organisations allegedly linked to Tehran, including religious, cultural, and community institutions across Britain.
Concurrently, counter-terrorism police are investigating whether Iran is financing British thugs for hire to commit arson, following a recent attack on a synagogue in north London. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis condemned the assault as a cowardly arson attack, warning that a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum.
Members of Parliament have repeatedly cautioned about Iran's exploitation of British-based TV and media outlets to spread misinformation, bolstering the Tehran regime while undermining Western interests. The Daily Mail has contacted Yaser Alsayegh for comment on these allegations.
