GB News
The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into Tehran's embassy's call for Iranians in the UK to "sacrifice their lives for the homeland". On Monday, it was reported the embassy's Telegram channel uploaded a message calling for Iranians living abroad to become martyrs for the regime. Counterterrorism police are now assessing the post, which even urged children to join the cause, to evaluate if action is required. The Foreign Office also summoned Iran's ambassador to Britain to discuss the post, which encouraged people to sign up to the "janfada", or self-sacrifice, campaign. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer told the ambassador, Seyed Ali Mousavi, the comments were "completely unacceptable". He also said the embassy must "cease any form of communications that could be interpreted as encouraging violence". The Government has said it will "take all measures" to protect Britons, adding it will continue to call out Iran's "brutal and repressive regime". The post to in the Telegram channel, endorsed by the Iranian embassy, read: "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 honours of this ancient land and demonstrating that their hearts are bound to the dignity and greatness of their homeland." It concluded in by quoting the poetic verse from the 11th-century epic poem the Book of Kings, which read: "Let us all, one and all, give our lives in battle. Rather than surrender our country to the enemy." It also called for people to register for the campaign through the Mikhak system, an online portal run by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and used by Iranians abroad for passport renewals and other consular matters. Tehran's embassies around the world, including in Australia, Sri Lanka, and Germany, have encouraged Iranians to sign up for the campaign. An official website for the campaign said it would let Iranians "play an effective role in confronting the American-Zionist enemy and defending Islamic Iran". LATEST ON IRAN: Man arrested on suspicion of preparing terror acts on London Jewish sites Labour warns Iran conflict will push UK prices higher for 'eight-plus months' after resolution Oil prices hit three-week high as US-Iran war peace talks 'frayed' Women have been allowed to sign up - but are prevented from carrying out official combat duties. One British-Iranian woman said the message was "deeply troubling" to expats of the regime. She told The Times: "Invoking patriotism and national pride to recruit Iranians abroad - using language like, 'We will all sacrifice ourselves for the homeland' - reads as a mobilisation call from a regime that has spent decades brutalising its own people." United4Mahsa, an Iranian rights organisation, said it was a sign Sir Keir Starmer should take action to proscribe the IRGC and not hold any negotiations with Iran. The Prime Minister said he would proscribe the elite Iranian military force in the next session of Parliament amid pressure from MPs. A spokesman for the Iranian Embassy earlier said: "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' 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." A Counter Terrorism Policing spokesman said: "We are aware of the post allegedly linked to the Iranian embassy and specialist officers are in the process of assessing this to determine whether any further police action may be required." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Go to News Site