Iran International Quits Chiswick on Police Advice

Station to move broadcasting operations to America

Armoured police vehicles in Chiswick Business Park. Picture: Iran International TV

Iran International is leaving Chiswick Business Park and has moved its broadcast operations to America.

The m edia company says it is doing so on police advice following growing concerns for its staff and members of the public in Chiswick in the face of a number of credible threats.

A man was recently arrested within the grounds of the office development and is facing terrorism charges after he was found to have made several video recordings of security measures around the building where Iran International TV was based.

It is understood that the studios in Chiswick have already been closed and the station is now being broadcast from a base in Washington DC. There have been no interruptions to its news coverage.

The security measures within the development are to remain in place for the time being despite the departure of Iran International.

In a report on its web site the station says, “Threats had grown to the point that it was felt it was no longer possible to protect the channel’s staff, other employees at Chiswick Business Park and the general public.

“Iran International was warned by authorities in November that its journalists were under threat from Iranian agents and the Metropolitan Police took measures to strengthen security around the network’s office in the area.

“The channel's broadcasts have gained special significance since popular anti-regime protests broke out in Iran last September. Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened Iran International and other Persian broadcasters based abroad since the start of protests when they blocked the Internet to deny the population news and information.”

The station acknowledged the increased level of protection offered to London-based Iranian journalists by the British government and the efforts of the British police to ensure their safety.

Armed officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Project Servator, which has a special responsibility to prevent terrorism, were regularly patrolling the site along with private security firms.

A ‘ring-of-steel’ was erected around the site, with barriers installed at the entrances to allow vehicles to be checked. Iran International’s building was surround by a high metal fence with large concrete blocks at its base.

Last Saturday (11 February) Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, a 30-year-old Austrian national, was arrested at Chiswick Business Park and has since been charged with terrorism offences after several videos of security measures at the campus were found in his possession. He has denied the charges against him and told police that he was enabled to come to the UK by a friend from Chechnya. He is due to appear at the Old Bailey early next month after being remanded in custody.

Mahmood Enayat, General Manager of Iran International TV, said after the decision to move broadcasting to Washington, “I cannot believe it has come to this. A foreign state has caused such a significant threat to the British public on British soil that we have to move. Let’s be clear this is not just a threat to our TV station but the British Public at large. Even more this is an assault on the values of sovereignty, security and free speech that the UK has always held dear.

“Day and night our journalists strive to deliver the 85mn people of Iran and its diaspora the independent, uncensored news they deserve.

“We refuse to be silenced by these cowardly threats. We will continue to broadcast. We are undeterred.”

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes said, “Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing alongside local officers and other specialists from the Metropolitan Police continue to work in response to potential threats projected from Iran against a number of UK-based individuals. At its sharpest, this has involved police and MI5 working together to foil 15 plots since the start of 2022 to either kidnap or even kill British or UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime.

“Those affected continue to be given appropriate advice and support and a number of protective security measures have been put in place to mitigate against these threats. As was apparent late last year, this involved protective security measures including an overt armed policing presence focused around the west London offices of a Persian-language media company.

"Since that time, we have continued to investigate this particular threat alongside others and security operations have continued. In light of the ongoing investigation that follows the arrest of a man last weekend in that area, and despite extraordinary security measures, we still have serious concerns for the safety of people working at this company. This has led to us giving further advice and the company is now relocating. We would like to thank the company for their ongoing understanding with this as we continue to support them.

"While the threat is very specific, we know that other people and organisations that work in that area may be concerned at this news. I want to reassure the local community in that area that protective security measures will remain in place for the time being, despite the fact that the media company will be relocating.

"We also appreciate that talking to a media company about moving their operations from a particular location - even though it is due to grave safety concerns - is exceptional. The advice to relocate has not been given lightly. The situation that journalists face around the world and the fact that some journalists face such hostile intentions of foreign states whilst in the UK is a challenging reality that we are determined to confront.”

AC Jukes added that the workload in investigating threats from foreign states has quadrupled over the last few years and that if any member of the wider Iranian diaspora in the UK has concerns over their own safety or the safety of somebody else, then they should contact their local police force.”

Iran International TV was a unit of Volant Media which is believed to be ultimately funded by members of the Saudi Royal Family. It had consistently taken an editorial line hostile to the Islamic Republic based in Tehran which has seen increasingly widespread protests against its rule over the last few months.

A barrier has been placed at the Bollo Lane entrance to the north of the development

Iran International is a Saudi-backed broadcaster which consistently takes an editorial line hostile to the Tehran regime. Private security officers and armed police from the Met’s Project Servator have been patrolling Chiswick Business Park since security chiefs warned of possible attacks on journalists employed by the station instigated by the Iranian government.