Iran says it views Persian-language media outlets abroad as military targets
Military spokesman says Tehran regards BBC Persian, Iran International, others as ‘soldiers of Zionism and America,’ claims they are directly linked to US and Israeli intel agencies
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Iran’s armed forces said Wednesday that several Persian-language media outlets operating abroad were included in its “military target bank,” accusing them of working for US and Israeli intelligence agencies.
In remarks published on state television, armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi named BBC Persian, Iran International and Radio Farda among the outlets.
“These hostile media outlets are the soldiers of Zionism and America and are included in our military target bank,” Shekarchi said, accusing them of being “directly connected to Mossad, CIA and enemy intelligence organizations.”
“The Iranian Armed Forces do not view these news outlets as media,” he added.
He did not clarify where they would be targeted.
Iranian authorities have frequently accused Persian-language media outlets based abroad of cooperating with Israel.
Iran has designated Iran International, based in London, as a terrorist organization since 2022 and has warned that cooperation with the channel is punishable under Iranian law.
In 2023, the broadcaster temporarily moved to studios in Washington, DC, after what it described as an escalation of “state-backed threats from Iran.” The station later resumed operations at a new location in London.
On Friday, a British teenager pleaded guilty over an arson attack at offices linked to Iran International in northwest London earlier this year.
Nathan Dunn, 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of “arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered” at London’s Old Bailey over the incident in April in which an ignited container was thrown towards premises belonging to Volant Media, the parent company of the London-based broadcaster.
The device landed in a car park, and the fire extinguished itself, causing no damage or injuries.
Dunn had originally been charged alongside a 21-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of his age.
The broadcaster said at the time that a suspicious vehicle had been denied entry to its London site shortly before the incendiary device was thrown.
The Times of Israel Community.