Britain Faces Spy Scandal at Tehran’s London HQ
Britain is under fresh pressure to crack down on alleged Iranian spy operations running out of Tehran’s base in London. Press TV, Iran’s state-backed English-language broadcaster, is accused of using its studio to spy while spreading hateful, antisemitic content targeting Britain’s Jewish community.
Press TV: Spy Den and Hotbed of Hate?
Security experts claim Press TV’s London studio is a front for recruiting agents working for Iranian intelligence. The Community Security Trust (CST), which protects UK Jews, blasted Press TV’s flagship show Palestine Declassified as “the most antisemitic media currently produced in this country.”
A CST spokesperson said: “In every episode they pick a topic and highlight large numbers of ordinary Jewish organisations, charities, schools and individuals. They paint them all as genocidal, Zionist extremists who are infiltrating Britain. It is a clear example of the Iranian state inciting hatred of Jews and trying to cause division in British society.”
The show is hosted by Chris Williamson, the ex-Labour MP suspended for downplaying antisemitism, alongside David Miller, an academic cleared in a discrimination lawsuit after being sacked over his anti-Zionist views.
Ex-Intel Officer Sounds Alarm on Press TV’s Spy Tactics
Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, revealed some Press TV journalists double as talent spotters for Iranian spies, recruiting assets openly in London before handing them to handlers in Tehran.
“From an Iranian perspective, London is a permissive environment,” Hackett told The Telegraph. “Press TV not only has done clandestine work using these credentials but they also openly do things.”
With international sanctions choking Iran’s global espionage, the London studio has become a critical hub for Tehran’s intelligence operations. The US Treasury has branded Press TV a recruiting tool aimed at “sensitive assets, including US persons.”
Hackett pointed to the defection of Monica Witt, a former US Air Force counter-intelligence expert who went over to Iran, calling it Tehran’s “bombshell” coup—highlighting the real dangers posed.
Press TV Flourishes Despite UK Bans
Press TV lost its Ofcom licence in 2012 and was banned on YouTube. Yet it still wields huge influence with over a million followers across Instagram, Facebook, and X.
A UK government spokesperson said: “We are clear-eyed about the threats posed by Iran, and our first priority is protecting British interests and British lives both in the UK and overseas. We have introduced a comprehensive set of additional measures aimed at countering threats posed by the Iranian regime.”
With allegations mounting, the UK faces a stark choice: how far will Tehran be allowed to push its sinister influence right under Britain’s nose?
