Iran ‘tried to collect intelligence on Israelis and Jews in UK’, says minister

Iran “tried to collect intelligence on UK based Israeli and Jewish individuals between 2020 and 2022”, security minister Tom Tugendhat has told MPs.

The minister made his remarks following a report in the Sunday Times that the prominent Persian language news channel Iran International was forced to suspend broadcasting in the UK following threats to its staff by the Iranian regime.

Tugendhat confirmed that following Iran’s attempt to monitor Israeli and Jewish individuals in the UK government “believe this information was a preparation for future lethal operations.”

He added:”As of last week we’ve responded to 15 credible threats since the start of 2022 to kill or kidnap British or UK based individuals by the Iranian regime.”

Tugendhat added:”This is a persistent threat. This is not carried out by rogue elements, but is a conscious strategy of the Iranian regime.”

MPs again put pressure on the government to announce a full ban on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

They also called for efforts to protect journalists working both in the UK and within Iran, who were under threat from the regime in Tehran for raising human rights abuses.

Julian Lewis MP, chair of the Intelligence and SecurityCommittee, confirmed there had been delays in the sight of evidence on the security threats posed by Iran but that these were now being “overcome.”

The minister later said the forthcoming National Security Bill would help with moves to proscribe the IRGC.