Fears over Iranian attacks on UK-based TV journalists

Rifle-armed security stood guard outside Iran International’s bureau in Chiswick, west London on November 19, 2022. (Supplied)

• Staff had recently received death threats from undercover agents of Iran’s guard corps in the UK capital
• Baillie pointed out that despite “good security measures in place,” members of staff at Iran International are concerned

LONDON: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could be active inside Britain, UK-based journalists from television channel Iran International have warned.
Adam Baillie, a senior studio producer at the organization, told Arab News: “While threats in themselves aren’t new, it is worrying for our staff to know they could be targeted on British soil.”
Baillie said that staff had recently received death threats from undercover agents of Iran’s guard corps in the UK capital, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.
Baillie added: “From the information we have been given, the threats against us are not from freelance supporters of the Iranian government, but directly from the IRGC who, after all, have been explicit in their threats against us.
“Brig. Gen. (Hossein) Salami has said that they are coming for us.
“There is always the chance that freelancers could be tempted to act alone, as it were, but we are well prepared for this.”
Baillie pointed out that despite “good security measures in place,” members of staff at Iran International are concerned.
He added: “This is an added stress to what is such a stressful situation for Iranians everywhere.”
Baillie also said that police had deployed armed response vehicles around the TV studios in Chiswick Park to deter potential attacks on journalists.
He said: “The threats against us have increased in line with the spread of unrest within Iran.
“We are now the main source of uncensored news within Iran; we mirror back to Iran what is happening in Iran. That does not fit in with the Iranian government’s usual media policies.”