The Iranian embassies in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Sri Lanka have openly attempted to recruit fighters willing to “sacrifice their lives” in a new campaign as Tehran continues to refuse terms for an end to the war with the US and Israel.
Tehran’s official embassy page in London on April 15 called for “proud compatriots residing in the United Kingdom” to join the efforts.
“All brave and distinguished children of Iran are invited to participate consciously and register in this campaign, adding another golden page to the book of honors of this ancient land and demonstrating that their hearts are bound to the dignity and greatness of their homeland,” the embassy wrote.
“Let us all, one and all, give our lives in battle. Rather than surrender our country to the enemy.”
A spokesman for the Iranian Embassy in London told The Daily Mail, “Iranians around the world have always cared deeply about their homeland and the protection of its territorial integrity, and they always will.
“The Jan Fada (sacrificing life) platform is intended for all Iranians who wish to support and defend their country, and it does not promote any form of hostility. Any claims or assumptions to the contrary are simply unfounded. Such biased judgments are made hastily and without proper understanding.”
Commenting on the calls for martyrdom, Israel’s Foreign Ministry published, “Diplomatic cover cannot be a shield for terror activity. Acting against such missions is a necessary response to a regime that exploits diplomacy to spread violence.”
An intelligence source specializing in Iranian influence campaigns in the West told The Jerusalem Post, “Embassies and accredited diplomats enjoy legal immunity under the Vienna Convention, but these activities may amount to breaches of the National Security Act, specifically regarding registering as an agent under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme’s enhanced tie, or conduct that may be likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.”
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), explained that Iran was likely deliberately vague in what being involved in the Jan Fada campaign entailed in order to avoid getting in trouble in the UK.
Turner said that while the embassy enjoys some level of diplomatic immunity, “the UK government could summon, reprimand, or expel Iranian diplomats.”
Tehran’s embassy in Canberra also attempted to recruit on its official Telegram in a now-removed post, publishing, “Due to repeated requests from Iranians living abroad to participate in the Jan Fada Campaign, and due to difficulties accessing domestic websites, access has been made available through the MEKHAK [consular services] system for Iranians who wish to take part in this campaign.”
The Australian Federal Police, according to The Guardian, are currently investigating the post, as it is against the country’s law to enter a foreign country intending to “engage in a hostile activity.”
Iranian regime undermining British social cohesion, expert tells Post
Dr. Lynette Nusbacher, a former British army intelligence officer and military historian who earlier spoke to Sky News about Iran’s intelligence Telegram recruitment drive, told the Post that the regime’s sudden switch to over-recruitment is an attempt to “undermine UK social cohesion by reinforcing existing narratives about dangerous Muslim immigrants.”
“In addition to undermining British social cohesion, this will create suspicion of law-abiding Iranians in the UK, especially anti-regime Iranians,” she continued.
“Iran has been attacking UK social cohesion for years. The British government and, in particular, the security services have to take seriously not only the attempt to recruit people to act for Iran against British interests, not only the criminals who will be using the same methods to steal people’s identities by collecting their passport and bank details, but also this fairly brazen attempt to make British people hate and fear Iranians in our communities and even Iranian children in our schools,” she warned.
The Sky News report addressed Telegram accounts claiming to be affiliated with Iran’s intelligence ministry, recruiting people in the UK for acts of espionage on British military and intelligence officials or for paid operations based in Israel.
Nusbacher warned that “no country in the world,” be it Israel or the UK, “can afford to take lightly the dangers of espionage, influence, or political violence by people of any background acting for Iran,” – whether the actions came directly from Iran or not.
Last week, London’s Biggest Conversation (LBC) reported that an agent claiming to be connected with the regime’s ministry had attempted to recruit one of their journalists only hours into an undercover investigation on the arson attacks on UK-based Jewish and Iranian dissident sites.
Institute for National Security Studies Iran program researcher Beni Sabti told the Post that the Islamic regime has become bolder in its recruitment attempts thanks to the protests in its favor across the West and because – from its perspective – Tehran won the war against the US and Israel.
