People working for Iranian state television in the UK should register as foreign agents, MPs have urged, after a shadow minister announced she had reported the regime-linked Press TV to British police.
Under the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs), anyone working on behalf of states deemed hostile to the UK must register with the Home Office, with failure to do so punishable by up to five years in prison.
The entire Iranian state is on the highest tier of the scheme, which came into force last July under the National Security Act.
MPs from across the House are now calling for UK-based employees of Iranian state media to register as part of the scheme.
Broadcast from a studio in west London, Press TV is the English-language arm of Iran’s state broadcaster. It is controlled by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), whose leader is appointed directly by the regime's supreme leader.
Last month, ministers were warned that the channel was at the centre of an Iranian regime recruitment and intelligence-gathering operation and was accused of creating a “target list for terrorists” featuring Jewish schools, charities and community organisations.
In recent years, the regime’s English-language broadcaster has been sanctioned by the EU, Australia, Canada and the US. Although it has not been sanctioned in Britain, its licence was revoked by Ofcom in 2012, and it has been banned from YouTube.
The channel continues to distribute content on social media, with more than one million followers across Instagram, Facebook and X.
It has hosted numerous high-profile guests and presenters. Jeremy Corbyn received £20,000 for appearances on the channel between 2009 and 2012, and disgraced anti-Zionist academic David Miller is also a presenter.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Alicia Kearns also announced on social media that she has reported Press TV, IRIB and its Spanish-language network, HispanTV, to police.
“They are Iranian state propagandists,” said Kearns, a former chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.
“We introduced world-leading laws in the National Security Act requiring foreign state media to register their activities in the UK or face prosecution. It’s time for Labour to use the powers we put in place to protect our country.”
Kearns said she had filed a report detailing Press TV’s links to the Iranian regime, adding that those working for the outlet without registering could be committing a crime.
David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: “Ofcom has taken away Press TV’s licence, but this is clearly not enough. They are still able to broadcast hate and pay people to do it – presenters are being paid to spout hate.
“Employees evidently should have to register [under Firs]. They are working for a body whose boss is appointed by the supreme leader.”
Lord Walney, the former extremism tsar, said there was “a very strong case” for individuals paid by Press TV to be included in the scheme.
A spokesman for the Community Security Trust said authorities should be “looking very closely” at whether Press TV employees ought to be registered.
A Home Office spokesman told the Telegraph that the government had a “robust package of measures” to tackle threats from the Iranian regime, including Firs, and would take “decisive action” where necessary to protect national security.
“We take a balanced and proportionate approach to supporting organisations to comply with the scheme. But we will not hesitate to take decisive action where there is a clear risk to our national security.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “Any allegations relating to possible terrorism or national security-related offences will be passed to officers within Counter Terrorism Policing, who will assess the details and take any further action as appropriate.”
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