Sunday 27 November 2022 07:44 PM Met Police protection remains at London HQ of Iran news channel whose ... trends now

Heavy Met Police protection remains in place at the London HQ of an Iran news channel whose journalists have received death threats from Tehran after broadcasting footage of anti-regime protests into the Middle-East country. 

Armed police have been spotted outside the Iran International offices in Chiswick, west London, alongside multi-role armoured vehicles called Jankels. 

High metal fencing and concrete Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HMV) barriers are also surrounding the building - reportedly put up overnight on Friday and Saturday.

It's not the first time they have been called into action as anti-terror police were deployed last weekend to guard the TV studio too. 

The Farsi language news channel has enraged Iran with its coverage of huge street protests that have engulfed the nation since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September.

Amini died in custody after she was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely. 

It has sparked widespread protests which Iran International been broadcasting 24-hours a day back to Iran on satellite.

Police have confirmed that 'officers are working in response to potential threats projected from Iran against a number of UK-based individuals'.

A Met Police spokesperson added: 'Those affected have been given appropriate advice and support and a number of protective security measures have been put in place to mitigate against these threats. 

'Whilst we will not be going into detail as to what these are, it does include the presence of overt armed police officers in the vicinity of the west London offices of a UK-based Persian language media company. 

'This is a precautionary measure and we would ask the public to be alert but not alarmed by the presence of police in the area.'

Working alongside MI5, the Met Police has come out in numbers to protect the 100 or so employees of Iran International - some of whom have personally received death threats.

Last week, an insider at the station  said it was 'very concerning' that the armed officers were patrolling outside the offices, adding that it 'must be based on a specific threat to us'. 

Many of the protests in Iran have been calling for an end to the oppressive ruling of the Islamic Republic.

The authorities have not been listening to the cries for an end to the oppression but have instead arrested thousands of people and hit out at the West, accusing the media of provoking civil unrest.

On November 16, the boss of MI5 dramatically revealed that Iran has plotted to kill or kidnap at least 10 British residents it accuses of being 'enemies of the regime' on UK soil this year alone.