IRGC arrests UK-based TV channel "ringleader" in northwest

One of the ringleaders of a hostile London-based TV channel calling itself “Iran International” has been arrested in Khoy city, northwestern Iran.

Hamzeh Seyed al-Shohada Base of the IRGC Ground Force announced in a statement on November 28 that the "ringleader of this hostile London-based TV channel" which Tehran has blacklisted as a terrorist organization due to its role in fueling violent riots in the country was identified and arrested by the IRGC forces in Khoy, Mehr News reports.

"Following the recent unrest across the provincial city, the main agent of the TV channel who was instigating people to take moves against security had planned to take sabotage measures here but was arrested after a complicated operation, according to the statement.

"Funded by Saudi Arabia, the so-called Iran International TV channel was founded in London in 2017 as part of a propaganda campaign against the Iranian government.

"The television channel has openly been promoting monarchists, the highly-notorious Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) terror group, and most significantly, separatist terrorists, in violation of the UK’s own media regulations.

"Recently, Tehran designated the channel as a terror organisation over its role in fanning the flames of violence during riots in Iran," the report says.

On November 30, the Iranian ministry of intelligence released a statement announcing that it considers any cooperation with the TV channel as a terrorist act.

 It added that the channel "has been aggressively fanning propaganda and misinformation about Iran since the 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini died in police custody in mid-September".