The Iranian embassies in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Sri Lanka have openly attempted to recruit fighters willing to “sacrifice their lives” in a new campaign as Tehran continues to refuse terms for an end to the war with the US and Israel.
On April 15, Tehran’s official embassy page in London called for “proud compatriots residing in the United Kingdom” to join the efforts.
“All brave and distinguished children of Iran are invited to participate consciously and register in this campaign, adding another golden page to the book of honors of this ancient land and demonstrating that their hearts are bound to the dignity and greatness of their homeland," the embassy wrote. "Let us all, one and all, give our lives in battle. Rather than surrender our country to the enemy."
A spokesman for the Iranian Embassy in London told The Daily Mail, “Iranians around the world have always cared deeply about their homeland and the protection of its territorial integrity, and they always will. The Jan Fada (sacrificing life) platform is intended for all Iranians who wish to support and defend their country, and it does not promote any form of hostility. Any claims or assumptions to the contrary are simply unfounded. Such biased judgments are made hastily and without proper understanding.”
Commenting on the calls for martyrdom, Israel’s Foreign Ministry published, “Diplomatic cover cannot be a shield for terror activity. Acting against such missions is a necessary response to a regime that exploits diplomacy to spread violence.”
Tehran’s embassy in Canberra also attempted to recruit on its official Telegram in a now-removed post, publishing, “Due to repeated requests from Iranians living abroad to participate in the Jan Fada Campaign, and due to difficulties accessing domestic websites, access has been made available through the MEKHAK [consular services] system for Iranians who wish to take part in this campaign.”
According to The Guardian, the Australian Federal Police are currently investigating the post, as it is against the country’s law to enter a foreign country intending to “engage in a hostile activity.”
Iranian regime undermining British social cohesion, expert tells Post
Dr. Lynette Nusbacher, a former British army intelligence officer and military historian who earlier spoke to Sky News about Iran’s intelligence Telegram recruitment drive, told The Jerusalem Post that the regime’s sudden switch to over recruitment is an attempt to “undermine UK social cohesion by reinforcing existing narratives about dangerous Muslim immigrants.”
“In addition to undermining British social cohesion, this will create suspicion of law-abiding Iranians in the UK, especially anti-regime Iranians,” she continued.
“Iran has been attacking UK social cohesion for years. The British government and in particular the security services have to take seriously not only the attempt to recruit people to act for Iran against British interests; not only the criminals who will be using the same methods to steal people's identities by collecting their passport and bank details; but also this fairly brazen attempt to make British people hate and fear Iranians in our communities and even Iranian children in our schools,” she warned.
The Sky News report addressed Telegram accounts claiming to be affiliated with Iran’s intelligence ministry recruiting people in the UK for acts of espionage on British military and intelligence officials, or for paid operations based in Israel.
Last week, London-based LBC Radio reported that an agent claiming to be connected with the regime’s ministry had attempted to recruit one of their journalists only hours into an undercover investigation on the arson attacks on UK-based Jewish and Iranian dissident sites.