Iran spy ring 'generating propaganda' in London, Labour warned

The channel has been accused of serving as a cover for recruiting assets from its London studio, whose coverage of Jewish charitable organisations, educational institutions and community groups seems to have had the effect of creating a "target list for terrorists".

Jonathan Hackett, a former American intelligence operative with two decades of experience running US Marine Corps intelligence operations, told The Telegraph: "From an Iranian perspective, London is a permissive environment.

"Press TV not only has done clandestine work using these credentials but they also openly do things."

While the new allegations remain unproven, according to Mr Hackett, certain Press TV journalists function as talent spotters for the regime, identifying and cultivating potential recruits before transferring them to more seasoned handlers in Tehran.

The broadcaster's London operation has assumed increased importance for Iranian intelligence following sanctions imposed by the EU, Australia, Canada and the United States.

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control stated in 2023 that Press TV had been "used by Iranian intelligence services to recruit sensitive assets, including US persons".

Mr Hackett cited the case of Monica Witt, a former US Air Force counter-intelligence specialist with top-secret clearance, as Tehran's most significant recruitment success.

He described the defection as "a bombshell on the intelligence community. This was the biggest win the Iranian regime ever had."

Press TV's flagship programme Palestine Declassified has been labelled "the most antisemitic media currently produced in this country" by the Community Security Trust (CST), the charity responsible for protecting Britain's Jewish community.

The show is fronted by Chris Williamson, the former Labour MP suspended over his dismissal of antisemitism concerns, and David Miller, an academic who won a discrimination case against Bristol University following his dismissal over anti-Zionist views.

Mr Williams, who was suspended from Labour in 2019, said his expulsion from the party was due to "forces hostile to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership" and told the BBC he didn't want it to be misconstrued that he was "minimising the cancer of anti-Semitism".

The CST monitors each episode closely. Its spokesman said: "In every episode they pick a topic and highlight large numbers of ordinary Jewish organisations, charities, schools and individuals.

"They paint them all as genocidal, Zionist extremists who are infiltrating Britain.

"It is a clear example of the Iranian state inciting hatred of Jews and trying to cause division in British society, and we have been concerned for a long time about its harmful impact."

Despite losing its Ofcom broadcasting licence in 2012 and being banned from YouTube, Press TV maintains over one million followers across Instagram, Facebook and X.

A UK Government spokesman said: "We are clear-eyed about the threats posed by Iran, and our first priority is protecting British interests and British lives both in the UK and overseas.

"We have introduced a comprehensive set of additional measures aimed at countering threats posed by the Iranian regime."

GB News has approached Press TV for comment.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter