United Kingdom: Assassination Attempt Against Iran International’s Sima Sabet
Sinister plot targeting two presenters from the Iranian outlet based in UK revealed
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: December 20, 2023Updated on: January 29, 2024
An alarming and targeted assassination attempt against two news presenters working for the Persian language news channel Iran International in London has been uncovered. The plot, orchestrated by Iranian spies linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and associates of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, aimed to eliminate journalists Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad, demonstrating the regime's capability to inflict harm on its critics. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns this attempt on the lives of the journalists. The thwarted plot exposes the grave threat the Iranian regime poses to critical journalists abroad.
“The IRGC's attempt to assassinate me through hired criminals on UK soil is an unequivocal act of terrorism,” targeted journalist Sima Sabet tells CFWIJ. “As a journalist committed to the truth, I refuse to be intimidated by a suppressive regime that has killed Mahsa Amini and many others. As a UK citizen, I have the right to safety and freedom of speech.”
On December 20, 2023, ITV News revealed that Iran International journalists Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad were the targets of a failed assassination attempt in 2022 orchestrated by Iranian spies.
The assassination plot was thwarted by a people-smuggler turned double agent, known as Ismail, who shared details of the conspiracy with ITV News.
“As a journalist committed to the truth, I refuse to be intimidated by a suppressive regime that has killed Mahsa Amini and many others. As a UK citizen, I have the right to safety and freedom of speech”
The spies initially planned a car bomb attack on Iran International's studios in West London. However, facing logistical challenges, the plan was altered to a knife attack targeting the presenters in their homes.
“It had to be done where they live, in their residence,” Ismail said to ITV News. “In their home, in the lifts, on the stairs or in the corridors.”
The journalists were chosen as targets due to their perceived role in causing "humiliation" to the Iranian state through their reporting on alleged kidnappings and assassinations. Iran International was selected as a target to silence the critical voices within the media. On November 6, 2022, commanders at Unit 840, a specific division within the IRGC responsible for orchestrating assassinations abroad, singled out the presenters as targets.
Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad expressed shock upon learning about the specific threat against them.
“Hearing it firsthand makes it more real. It’s shocking to see people who are casually talking about harming me”
"I didn't know there was a specific threat against me until now," says Farahzad, who was relocated from the UK to Washington DC before the assassination was due to happen. Upon seeing the evidence gathered by ITV News, he reflected.“Hearing it firsthand makes it more real. It’s shocking to see people who are casually talking about harming me.”
Sabet views the attempt on her life as a testament to her effective journalistic work in standing with the Iranian people against the Islamic regime. The presenter urges the British government to immediately designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and to do everything in its power to protect Iranian journalists in the UK.
“ To uphold democratic principles, including freedom of speech, it’s imperative that democratic states like the UK take decisive action against such attacks,”
“To uphold democratic principles, including freedom of speech, it's imperative that democratic states like the UK take decisive action against such attacks,” says Sabet.
Those behind the attack were identified as Muhammed Abd al-Razek Kanafani, with close ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Mohammed Reza Ansari, a commander from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, recently sanctioned by the US State Department.
Scotland Yard intervened upon learning of the plot, prompting Iran International to relocate its broadcasting to the US temporarily in February 2023. The channel went public with the threats, revealing the imminent risk to the lives of its journalists and their families. Following a months-long pause in broadcasting from the UK, the network resumed operations in September from a new London studio.
The motive behind the assassination attempt was to intimidate and silence journalists critical of the Iranian regime. Iran International, known for its aim to provide impartial news, was targeted to eliminate key presenters, delivering a message that could cripple the channel by removing key executives or lead presenters. In September 2023, the Intelligence Minister of Iran made a televised appearance, announcing that the regime would not hesitate to employ "invasive security measures" against Iran International, claiming that "no terrorist media will be secure."
The Iranian regime, beyond suppressing journalists domestically, is persistently employing repressive tactics to intimidate and silence Iranian journalists living abroad. In 2023, alongside multiple threats against Iran International, the authoritarian government also targeted Shima Shahrabi, a journalist with Iranwire in the US. The regime arrested her brother in Iran and raided her parent's home. This incident vividly highlights the authoritarian strategy of targeting the families of journalists abroad to stifle their voices.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is deeply alarmed by the attempt to kill Sima Sabet and fellow Iran International presenter Fardad Farahzad. We commend the work of the Met Police for helping to stop the attack and welcome the UK government’s announcement of sanctions against those suspected of plotting the assassinations. We urge all authorities in the UK to remain vigilant. The Iranian government has consistently shown it is capable and determined to silence exiled Iranians who voice their criticism publicly. It is necessary for host countries to take all threats against these journalists seriously and to ensure their safety.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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