Iran ran a terrorist recruitment drive out of its embassy in London last month. The Islamic Republic posted a call in Farsi on its official Telegram channel asking UK-based Iranians to join something called “Jan Fada”, the phrase translates roughly to “sacrificing life”, according to reporting by the Daily Mail.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry hit back Tuesday. “The Iranian regime is reportedly using its embassy in the UK to recruit terrorists,” the ministry wrote on X. “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.”
The embassy post addressed “all brave and noble children of Iran” living in Britain and urged them to sign up. The post went on to say that dying in service of the country was preferable to surrendering it to an enemy.
Roger Macmillan, who previously served as security director at Iran International, a London-based Persian-language outlet that has faced repeated threats from Tehran, called the recruitment campaign something Britain cannot brush off.
Macmillan called it horrific that such activity was happening on British soil. “This is an attempt at radicalization online — people who could be persuaded by the regime to commit acts in support of the Islamic Republic in the UK,” he told the Mail.
Nadeh Fallah with the Iranian Human Rights and Allies group went further, calling on British authorities to formally proscribe the IRGC. The group is “actively seeking to radicalize, recruit and exert influence on British soil,” she said.
Britain has not yet made that move. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last week that legislation to proscribe the IRGC is coming in the next parliamentary session.
