The statement by Security Minister Dan Jarvis on Tuesday, that Iran, a state sponsor of international terrorism, will be placed on the enhanced tier of the new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, is welcome – but it is not nearly comprehensive enough to tackle the Iranian threat in its entirety.
Placing Iran, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a designated terror organisation in the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, but not in the UK – under the scheme is supposed to reduce threats faced by Iranian dissidents and journalists targeted by the Iranian regime. It also aims to address Iranian threats to Jewish individuals, institutions and communities.
Under the scheme, individuals or entities making arrangements to carry out activities in the UK at the behest of the Iranian government will have to be registered or face punishment. The powers given to the Secretary of State under the scheme are still to be established by Parliament. So are the specifics that will determine the effectiveness of the scheme.
Clearly, no one expects an individual to list ‘intimidate’ or ‘blow up a synagogue’ in the description section of their intended activity in the UK, but it is expected that holding personal details will make it easier for security services to track harmful activities. Formally regarding Iran as a threat also sends a strong message.
However, the scheme will do little address one of the worst threats to our national security – that of domestic radicalisation into potentially violent extremism influenced by Iran. This threat requires a much more comprehensive solution.
The plan for greater collaboration between the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, and MI5, is a start, especially because Iran actively plots attacks in Britain. However, this complex threat necessitates the involvement of other key agencies.
Iranian hostile actions go far beyond threatening dissidents and targeting Jews. Iran uses a variety of methods to radicalise people in Britain into ideologies that serve its interests, from radical Islamism to extreme forms of antisemitism, thereby establishing a domestic threat.
A significant portion of Iranian influence campaigns doesn’t require ‘boots on the ground’, but relies on online disinformation, which is a problem that needs more attention from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Countless real and fake accounts and networks linked to the Iranian regime promote antisemitic narratives that are picked up both by the far Right and the far Left in Britain. This includes Holocaust denial, antisemitic conspiracies of Jewish power, influence and war-mongering, neo-Nazism and anti-Zionism. Iran has taken advantage of the war between Israel and Hamas to promote hateful narratives online, directed at UK audiences – the effects of which are felt by the Jewish community, which is living through the worst wave of antisemitism in decades.
This form of online incitement also elevates offline risks of terror attacks and increased intimidation of politicians, as happened in the last general elections.
This is aided by Iranian state media, including Mehr News and Press TV, who spread anti-Western and antisemitic propaganda. Although Press TV has lost its UK licence, this content is available to UK viewers, in English, through its websites and social media accounts.
Iranian influence has also reached our universities, requiring more involvement from the Department for Education and the Office for Students. Officials have warned that Iranian networks are actively supporting the regular pro-Palestinian protests and activism on campuses, radicalising our younger generation. These have frequently included antisemitic hate speech, as well as expressions of support for proscribed terror groups backed by Iran, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Speakers linked to the Iranian regime and to the IRGC have addressed audiences in the UK, in person and online. In a meeting with students in London, a speaker called for ‘an apocalyptic war that will end the lives of Jews’. In another, a speaker claimed that the Holocaust is ‘a lie.’ Speakers also encouraged violence against dissidents.
UK charities have been found to have, or are under investigation for having, links to the Iranian regime. Two charities have reportedly engaged in assaulting Iranian dissidents and expressing support for Iranian-backed terror organisations. This is backed by the independent review of Prevent, which found that groups with links to Iran promote violent extremism and antisemitism. These were partially responsible for the recent disturbing prevalence of antisemitism, including expressions of intent to kills Jews.
This is an issue that may not be fixed by the scheme, especially if speakers are not present in the UK or fall under one of the exemptions for registration, and if a group’s links to the regime cannot be proven. The effectiveness of dealing with this will depend on how ‘foreign power-controlled entities’ will be defined under the registration requirements, and what measures will be taken to stop these groups from disseminating extremist material, as current measures have not been effective enough. This threat also requires more effective action from the Charity Commission.
Iran has also been funnelling money into the UK using banks that are sanctioned elsewhere – but not in the UK – as well as allegedly through high street banks. These funds could be used for attacks or stirring up tensions and racial hatred. Stopping this is a task for the Financial Conduct Authority.
Iran’s wide-reaching spheres of influence undermine our security, our democracy and our values. For too long, this authoritarian, violent regime enjoyed easy access to our communities. The solution is for the different agencies to establish a coherent joint policy, receive greater powers and work in tandem to root out the Iran threat.
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