UK Minister Welcomes Iran International’s Reopening In London
Tom Tugendhat, UK's security minister and an MP, welcomed the reopening of Iran International's office in London, after threats had led to a temporary relocation earlier this year.
Tom Tugendhat, UK's security minister and an MP, welcomed the reopening of Iran International's office in London, after threats had led to a temporary relocation earlier this year.
In a post on social media platform X in Persian, Tugendhat addressed Iran International saying, "Welcome back."
Following security threats emanating from Iranian agents against Iran International last year, Tugendhat was among British officials who provided extensive support to the network.
After the closure of Iran International's London office, Tugendhat strongly condemned the Iranian government's threats against the network in a parliamentary session, stating that the UK would continue to support the network and provide a secure space for its activities.
The Deputy Security Minister of the United Kingdom, in another response to threats against Iran International's staff, addressed Persian-language journalists on Twitter in February, saying, "Welcome to Britain; we will keep you safe."
Iran International resumed its broadcasts from its new studio in London on Monday after moving all broadcast operation to Washington DC.
Mahmoud Enayat, the General Manager of Iran International TV, stated in a message celebrating the resumption of the network's activities from its new building in London: "Britain is the home of free speech. The resumption of our programs from this country is evidence that we will not abandon independent and uncensored journalism to the people of Iran."
Previously, when Iran International reported credible threats against its journalists by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in November, James Cleverly, the UK's Foreign Secretary, summoned Mehdi Hosseini Matin, Iran's Charge d'Affaires in London.
Amid their political calculations, all are more or less aware that the true course of events leading to the election depends solely on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's decision. The aging ruler can prevent anyone’s candidacy through a no0n-democratic and opaque screening process that disqualified hundreds in the 2020 and 2021 elections.
A prominent conservative figure in Iran suggested that former President Hassan Rouhani and former Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani are likely to present a joint list of candidates for the upcoming Majles election.
Expediency Council member Mohammad-Reza Bahonar made this statement during an interview with the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency on Saturday. However, Bahonar added that Larijani is no godfather for any political group in Iran.
According to Tasnim, Bahonar who has been absent from the parliament for eight years, has decided to run in the March election. Bahonar has been a member of the parliament for several terms and was the deputy speaker three times. He leads his own political group, “The Followers of the Imam [Rouhollah Khomeini].”
Bahonar denied that he had been disqualified in the previous round of Majles election, and criticized those who would run in every election until death prevents them from running. He emphasized that in this round of the election, a high turnout is far more important than the election itself.
He mentioned that he had encouraged many reformist figures to participate in the early registration and announce their candidacy. However, he clarified that he contacted only the reformists who do not believe in regime change. Nonetheless Bahonar said that to the best of his knowledge no prominent reformist figures have registered their candidacy, but he mentioned that several moderate conservative figures, such as former Vice President Mohammad Bagher Nobakht have already registered their candidacy at the Interior Ministry.
In the interview, he expressed concerns about discord among conservatives ahead of the election. Bahonar pointed out that the ultraconservative Paydari Party does not believe in an accord among conservatives and will present its own separate list of candidates.
Bahonar also suggested that the Islamic Republic should allow lawful gatherings to prevent protests. He further mentioned that the nationwide protests in 2022 would have occurred anyway, but Mahsa Amini's death in Morality Police custody triggered an early protest. However, he characterized the protests as "riots."
In another development, reformist figure Mohammad Reza Khabbaz said in an interview with Khabar Online that Iran's reformists can send at least 30 reformist figures to the next parliament. However, he said that this will be best feasible if reformists form an alliance with moderate conservatives close to Rouhani and Larijani.
Khabbaz added that reformists are unlikely to secure parliamentary seats if only 8 to 10 percent of voters turn out at the polls in Tehran. Khabbaz, a member of the reformist National Trust Party and a former Governor General of Khorasan Province, has already registered his candidacy with the Interior Ministry.
Addressing rumors of reformists boycotting the elections, Khabbaz stated that five reformist political parties—the National Trust Party, the Executives of Construction Party, Neda-ye Iranian Party, the Labor Party, and the Workers House—have encouraged their members to register their candidacy if they believe they have the potential to serve in the next parliament. However, 25 other reformist parties have announced that they will not field any candidates in the upcoming election.
Khabbaz noted that there are currently four or five reformist members in the parliament, including Masoud Pezeshkian, a lawmaker from Tabriz.
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