Iran has sought to interfere in Britain’s political system through online disinformation and fake websites, according to a report to be published on Monday.
The 100-page report, published by the Henry Jackson Society, cited examples of fake sites being used to foment Scottish independence and promote anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian themes in the UK.
It warned that Iran, once considered a “third-tier” country in terms of its cyber capabilities, has become increasingly sophisticated in both the scope and choice of its targets.
The US alone seized more than 100 domain names being used last year in cyber campaigns by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. These included such as syria-victory.com and yemenpress.org, which were related to regional Iranian foreign policy objectives.
Interference in Scottish independence debate
Iran was also found to have funded Facebook pages to promote Scottish independence, including one entitled “Free Scotland” which had more than 20,000 followers and was closed down after the source of its money was uncovered.
The report said computer firm Graphika dated Iran’s online interference in Scotland as far back as the run-up to the independence referendum in 2013.
One Facebook page even “stole” the name of the newspaper The Scotsman for a site entitled The Scotsman Cartoon, which used a wide range of visual styles to promote Scotland’s need for independence and attacked then-Prime Minister David Cameron for “English oppression”.
“While there is no suggestion that Scottish nationalist politicians have encouraged or endorsed Iran’s interference, it sets a worrying precedent, not least because the issue of a potential second referendum on Scottish independence is a deeply contentious one,” said the report.
“Thus far, Iran’s online meddling in British politics does not appear to have had a decisive impact. That is not for the want of trying.
“Iran has shown itself to be a country that disseminates disinformation online and establishes fake websites and internet accounts in its attempts to disrupt the political systems of those it considers to be its enemies.”
Promotion of anti-Israeli, pro-Palestinian messages
Iran was found to be behind left wing accounts promoting anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian themes including one entitled britishleft.com.
One of the site’s named authors, supposedly an “Elena Kowalsky” (also given as “Kowalski”), was found to be connected to a Twitter account registered with an Iranian phone number.
“The site and its authors tended to promote material from other sites identified as likely Iranian fakes in a process of building mutual credibility,” said the report.
A second site, which claimed to be based in Birmingham, followed a similar pattern in promoting articles with an anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian tilt, as well as material repurposed from the Iranian state-owned media network Press TV, whose licence has been revoked by Ofcom.
The site, linked to an Iranian phone number, also plagiarised articles from mainstream sites that suited its agenda, such as reporting an alleged increase in insulting comments to Muslim women following comments by Boris Johnson.
Iranian institutions established in UK
The report – by Dr Paul Stott, an associate fellow at the Henry Jackson Society – said Iran had successfully established institutions in the UK, in particular religious and educational facilities.
“Ironically, in this it has been assisted by the tolerance of our political system and also financially, through the Gift Aid scheme,” it said.
This includes the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a registered charity which operates a London bookshop and events centre, and which had been a consistent pro-Iranian political voice in London, according to the report.
Another institution, the Islamic Centre of England, received an official warning from the Charity Commission after gatherings were held in support of General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was assassinated in January 2020.
The report cited the latest attempt to ban a film, Lady of Heaven, about an Iraqi child who loses his mother during the rise of Islamic State. The film is based on a story originally written by a Kuwaiti Shia cleric who now lives in Buckinghamshire.
The film has been denounced as “divisive” by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), while the Iranian ambassador to London tweeted that he had written to Sunni and Shia Islamic centres in the United Kingdom to condemn it.
“Iran continues to interfere in our social cohesion. Where once it sought to rally support against Salman Rushdie, crying ‘blasphemy,’ it now seeks to agitate among British Muslims over issues such as the film ‘Lady of Heaven’ which it wishes to see banned,” said the report.
