Journalists Threatened Amid Iran’s Rising Tensions
As Iran grapples with increasing diplomatic tension and internal discord, an ominous and escalating series of threats targeted towards media professionals has triggered global concern. Demonstrators affiliated with the National Council of Resistance of Iran gathered in Berlin, Germany, not only to express their disapproval of the death penalty in Iran but also to campaign for the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a ‘terrorist organization’. The symbolic image of a noose resonated through the protest site, serving as a poignant reminder of the gravity of the outcry on November 14, 2024.
Iran International, a Persian-language news service based in London, has recently notified the United Nations about the severe threats directed towards 45 of its journalists. This seemingly orchestrated campaign, aimed at quashing opposition voices and breeding fear amongst journalists, has implicated the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence which has reportedly also threatened over 300 relatives of these media professionals scattered across eight countries.
An immediate halt to all reporting and journalistic activity related to Iran was the central demand in these threats. Reportedly, if the journalists failed to comply, their lives and the lives of their direct family members were threatened with execution. Moreover, the news organization, with its central hub in London and bureaus in Washington, DC, and numerous other locations around the globe, alleged that this operation is a strategic move by the Iranian government to suppress any form of dissent and manipulate the media narrative.
This development is described by Iran International as a deeply troubling and unparalleled surge in Tehran’s ongoing campaign to suppress their work. The formal appeal, submitted to five UN Special Rapporteurs, shed light on the threats that came with specific deadlines, all of which have lapsed since the previous week.
Viewed through the lens of escalating media intimidation campaigns, this latest menacing move broadly targeted both journalists and staff stationed in the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, and Belgium. Notably, these threats also reached their family members residing in Iran, adding another layer of concern.
Accusations of carrying out intelligence work for Israel have been leveled against these journalists by the Iranian government. These allegations have proliferated since the conflicts between Israel and Iran, notably the Twelve-Day War that erupted on June 13, 2025.
“With the tally of threatened journalists showing a swift and alarming uptick, it is feared that this count is sure to increase within mere hours”, claims the filed appeal. Indications of feasible threats of execution compound the peril, making it all the more imminent and real.
In one recent instance, an Iran International journalist residing in London was subjected to a knife attack in March 2024. This violent episode is identified by the media organization as part of a larger scheme involving kidnapping conspiracies, physical assaults, intense scrutiny, harassment, and digital offenses targeted at their employees.
The organization’s legal department flagged this as an ‘appalling development,’ denouncing the unprecedented graduation of threats from sporadic individual instances to far-reaching, tangible threats of mass homicide. The head legal advisor emphasized the urgency of the predicament, advocating for increased vigilance this August to guarantee the safeguarding of the endangered journalists and their kin.
The advisor implored, “It lies upon the collective conscience of the UN and all afflicted States to take immediate, decisive action to hold Iran accountable.” The broadcasting network, Iran International, holds a substantial audience in the millions among Persian-speaking viewers, has repeatedly found itself in Tehran’s crosshairs due to its reporting.
Previously, the Iranian regime denounced the channel as a terrorist organization, launching wide-ranging harassment campaigns against its staff and their families. These disruptive activities involved seizure of properties, instituting travel embargos and interrogations.
The latest round of grave threats is set against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical tension in the Middle East along with the rise of internal discord within Iran. The journalistic network’s legal team is thereby emphasizing the need for swift intervention by the UN and the host countries.
The dire warning issued by the legal team states that unless intervention takes place immediately, numerous lives stand at risk. The chilling echo of their plea underscores the severity of the situation these journalists and their family members face in an atmosphere rife with intimidation and fear.