Fears of racism have prevented around 30 charities and community centres from being investigated amid alleged links to the Iranian regime, a new report has detailed. Lord Walney alleges Iran uses the network of organisations to maintain its "influence and interests" in the UK while separately plotting attacks against critical Iranian media and the Jewish community. Former government extremism advisor and Labour MP Lord Walney noted a network of over 30 religious institutions, including 10 charities – eight of which are currently being investigated by the Charity Commission, although this has been plagued by "systemic delays", he says. The Islamic Centre of England (ICE) is described as a "central node" in the network. Its recent director and secretary was appointed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself and killed in an Israeli airstrike, it is claimed. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Iran's Deputy Minister of Culture between 2000 and 2003, Aliasghar Ramezanpour, was interviewed by Lord Walney in the report and described ICE as a "kind of a headquarters that supervises all the network ([of charities in the UK)". Kast year, the Intelligence and Security Committee said ICE could provide Iranian intelligence agents "with a useful base from which to act". ICE also received a warning from the Charity Commission in 2020 after hosting a vigil for Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC commander who was killed by the US in 2020. They have been subject to a statutory inquiry since November 2022. Sir William Shawcross, who chaired the Charity Commission between 2012 and 2018, said he encountered a "real nervousness about talking about suspicions of Muslim organisations," adding: "There’s a widespread fear amongst police, amongst schools, the headmasters and others of being accused of being racist". The commission has "never had the resources it needs for any investigations, and certainly not for counter-terrorism or counter-extremism investigations", the peer stated. "(In 2018, upon leaving the commission) it was already clear that the Iranians were very, very active in Britain, both in charitable and non-charitable organisations," Sir William noted. Kasra Aarabi, Director of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Research at United Against Nuclear Iran, mirrored this view, saying: "I think this goes back to political will, and also unfortunately the fear of being labelled Islamophobic. The first thing that these people (Iranian charities) will allege is Islamophobia." ICE denied suggestions it acted as a headquarters for a supposed network and claimed the publication of what it described as inaccurate and inflammatory claims risks promoting religious hatred and causing harm. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Three women interviewed by Metropolitan Police in Mohamed Al Fayed sex abuse probe Monkey caught near prison with 'crack cocaine' during drug bust Soham murderer Ian Huntley dead aged 52 after being taken off life support following prison attack A second charity, Dar Alhekma Trust, is also being looked at by the commission. Trustee Saeed Shehabi praised a commander of the IRGC and also claimed, after the October 7 attacks, that Palestinians "rose up and became the master of the situation". Mr Shehabi was a "long-standing peaceful campaigner", the charity said. The report also cited an incident in May 2024, when a man working at Dar Alhekma left an individual with serious spinal cord injuries after an altercation with an Iranian dissident. A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: "As a civil regulator, we use the powers granted to us by Parliament to respond robustly to evidence of wrongdoing and make referrals to other agencies where appropriate, including where there is evidence of criminality. "In light of this week’s developments in Iran we have been in direct contact with a number of the charities mentioned in this report to remind the trustees of their legal duties relating to any political activity, proactively warning them of the consequences of breaching charity law. "However, it is not presently open to the commission to remove charitable status as a sanction, and in the absence of proscription of the IRGC the commission can only act where there is clear evidence of a breach of charity law. "As the threat from extremism grows, we know our powers must keep pace. We are currently in welcome dialogue with the government to ensure our powers and our corresponding resources are fit for the present and the future." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter