Iranian-born activists and journalists living in the UK could be kidnapped or assassinated by Iranian regime agents, British counter-terrorism police warn.
By Adina Katz, World Israel News
Iranian nationals living in the UK may be targeted by Iranian operatives looking to silence them, British counter-terrorism police warned journalists and activists in letters sent in recent weeks.
According to a letter sent to a London-based journalist that was obtained by the Sunday Times, Iran may leverage “direct physical attacks against dissidents in Europe,” as well as try to trick them into traveling to countries neighboring Iran.
Once there, Iranian agents may kidnap the activists and force them back into Iran, where they could be imprisoned or sentenced to death.
Iranian-born journalist Aliasghar Ramezanpoor is now receiving round-the-clock protection from the British police after receiving multiple credible death threats from Iranian assets, according to the Times report.
“They [Iranian agents] are saying that if you don’t stop what you are doing, we will come to you; that’s the message,” he told the Times.
London-based Iranian journalist Potkin Azarmehr added that the potential threat isn’t limited to a squad of well-trained, professional assassins.
Rather, Azarmehr said, the Iranian government may use local criminals who aren’t directly trained by the Islamic regime to carry out the attacks.
“These are not necessarily trained agents but professional hitmen may be paid to carry out assassinations,” said Azarmehr.
“I was told it could be as simple as standing at a Tube station and somebody pushes you in front of a train. Or it could be a manufactured road rage incident. These could be people paid by the Iranian state.”
A police spokesman confirmed to the Times that counter-terrorism units had sent warning letters to people they believed to be in imminent danger from Iranian operatives.
The warning letters were sent “in light of serious concerns about media reports of instances where Iranian nationals had been detained and returned to Iran by Iranian authorities, before being arrested and charged with various offenses,” the official said.