US and allies accuse Iran of covert overseas ‘kill, kidnap’ policy
Those allegedly targeted by Tehran’s intelligence services are said to include dissidents, journalists and officials in Western countries
The US and more than a dozen of its allies on Thursday accused Iran of attempting to kill or kidnap people in Western countries, including dissidents, journalists and officials.
“We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,” the countries said in a joint statement.
The governments – of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US – called on the Iranian authorities to immediately stop such illegal activities.
“These services are increasingly collaborating with international criminal organisations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials in Europe and North America. This is unacceptable,” the statement said.
Iran’s embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Earlier in July it dismissed a report by UK lawmakers which said Tehran posed a significant and wide-ranging threat to Britain as unfounded, defamatory and dangerous.