Iran’s Shadow War in the UK: A Multifaceted Campaign of Influence and Disruption
A recent investigation by The Telegraph has revealed a complex and concerning "shadow war" being waged by Iran within the United Kingdom. This campaign extends far beyond mere sanctions violations, encompassing propaganda, intricate financial networks, and sophisticated digital disinformation campaigns designed to sow discord and division within British society. While the UK Treasury is currently investigating nine suspected sanctions breaches in 2024, these represent only the tip of the iceberg, a small fraction of Iran’s broader clandestine activities aimed at undermining the UK’s stability and influence.
The roots of this conflict stretch back decades, marked by persistent hostility between the two governments. Iran has consistently portrayed the UK as a hostile power, weaving this narrative into a larger strategy to destabilize perceived adversaries, particularly those aligned with the United States. This anti-UK messaging is disseminated through various channels, including media outlets and advocacy groups, shaping public perception and fueling discontent.
One prominent example is Press TV, Iran’s state-backed English-language broadcaster. Although its UK broadcast license was revoked in 2012, Press TV continues to publish content online, promoting Iranian state positions and narratives to a global audience. Furthermore, UK-based organizations like the Islamic Human Rights Commission, which has faced scrutiny for its messaging, continue to organize events such as Quds Day demonstrations in London. These events have, in the past, included visible support for designated terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, raising concerns about their potential links to Iranian influence operations.
The financial aspect of Iran’s shadow war is equally troubling. Iranian banks with a history of sanctions violations, including Melli Bank and Bank Saderat, maintain offices in London, operating in close proximity to the Bank of England. These institutions have been flagged by Members of Parliament due to concerns about their potential involvement in illicit financial activities. International authorities have previously linked both banks to financial transactions involving armed groups in the Middle East, raising further questions about their role in Iran’s covert operations.
The digital realm has become a key battleground in Iran’s campaign against the UK. OpenAI’s identification of the Storm-2035 network, likely linked to Tehran, illustrates the sophisticated nature of these online influence operations. This network employs Persian-language prompts to generate English and Spanish social media posts on divisive issues, ranging from austerity measures and independence movements to foreign policy debates. These posts, often disseminated by fake accounts posing as local users, aim to amplify existing tensions and manipulate public opinion. The use of stock images and unusual follower-following ratios further highlight the inauthentic nature of these accounts.
The Scottish independence movement has also become a target of Iranian online meddling. Researchers have identified pro-independence accounts on social media with apparent ties to Iran, suggesting a deliberate attempt to exploit domestic divisions within the UK. The sudden silence of several of these accounts following Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure in June 2024 raises further suspicions about their connection to Iranian state actors, possibly even the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This incident underscores the potential geopolitical dimensions of Iran’s influence operations, leveraging domestic issues to exert pressure on the UK and its allies.
Despite these alarming revelations, the UK government’s response has been criticized as inadequate. The Telegraph describes Iran’s operations as "enabled by years of dereliction from policymakers," highlighting the need for a more robust and coordinated approach to counter foreign influence campaigns. The multifaceted nature of Iran’s shadow war, encompassing financial manipulation, propaganda, and sophisticated digital disinformation, requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses each of these elements effectively. Failure to do so could leave the UK vulnerable to further destabilization and manipulation by hostile foreign actors.