BBC Accuses Iran Of Intimidating Its Persian Staff

LONDON (AP) — The BBC is accusing Iran of intimidating staff of its Persian service through slander, snooping and the arrest of their relatives.

BBC director-general Mark Thompson on Friday accused Iranian authorities of "a campaign of bullying and harassment."

Thompson said in a blog post that last week the sister of a BBC Persian staff member was detained and held in solitary confinement in Tehran — one of several occasions on which employees' relatives have been detained. She has since been released.

He said staff email and Facebook accounts had been hacked, and they had faced false accusations of sexual assault, drug trafficking and financial crimes.

Diplomatic relations between Britain and Iran have deteriorated as tensions mount over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Comments

[cincinnati]

04:01 AM on 02/05/2012

After the very mixed at best coverage of the lead up to invading IRAQ,
in fact mostly encouraging it [ and those that would not I think
were fired ], can we trust the BBC like we used [maybe] to ?

I hope journalists, embassey people, etc. are respected
and if followed at least done so within reason.
After all, some are definitely more or less spies.

[ladameennoir]

08:21 PM on 02/04/2012

To think that in the old days of the British Empire, the Iranians would not have dared lift a middle finger to Britain.

[trron9]

06:45 PM on 02/04/2012

With tensions rising with Iran the BBC should withdrawal their journalist for safety reasons, before a journalist is killed, detained, take hostage etc.

[Blake Wallace]

04:09 PM on 02/04/2012

The British have declared war on Iran. the BBC is lucky to even be allowed in Iran

[cincinnati]

03:56 AM on 02/05/2012

yes, it's a mixed and complex picture......
Can we trust any nation more or less controlled
by the neocons ?
Do they want a conflict if not war soon in order
to influence the elections ?

[themainpoint]

01:08 PM on 02/04/2012

How can they be sure it's not newscorp that is doing the hacking and snooping?

[oldgeek1]

01:04 PM on 02/04/2012

The prudent and common sense approach would be for all foreign personnel and business to leave Iran NOW. This is an area that will not get better with age and trouble is clearly down the road. I don't want to hear 6 or 9 months from now about people stuck there trying to get out or wrose.

[chefacree]

10:00 AM on 02/04/2012

The "bomb" is not going to help them. What can they do with it. If they threatened Israel or US with attack they would be a glass parking lot within hours. If they launched they would become that parking lot before their missile hit its target. We have subs that can and would fire in a matter of minutes is so ordered.

[Theatrixnyc]

11:54 AM on 02/04/2012

Iran is fully aware of their 'scapegoat' status. The whole Country, every single individual, all trying to get 'Us' - isn't a theory any of us buy, in either the United States or Iran. We're either going to get along better, because we should and it's the right thing to do, or yeah....glass parking lots, but every Country will have one...no Winners, unless you're religious, and you were banking on it in the first place, trying to make it happen.

[themainpoint]

01:10 PM on 02/04/2012

Agree. No nuclear bomb is much of an advantage to anyone unless they are the only ones in possession of that bomb. So I doubt they would really use one.

[chefacree]

09:42 AM on 02/05/2012

Exactly.

[dahmady]

07:14 AM on 02/04/2012

I hope USA not get fool by England, because they are always make USA start the war and they get the benefit and we are the one TO loosed MANEY & BLOODS. England is the DEVIL of the WORLD and they did to us in IRAQ and HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN.

[Tony Andrews]

12:31 PM on 02/04/2012

You seem to be unaware of a few basic facts.

America was the leader of coalition forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. England and some 40+ other states that lent support to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were doing so in support of America and not the other way around.

In the case of Iran, if you take more than a second or two away from your notions, it is plain that England, the EU, and virtually all other states that are sanctioning and threatening Iran are, again, following the American lead.

The BBC is not the government of the United Kingdom. it is a broadcasting organisation that does not go to war with anyone.

[dahmady]

05:22 PM on 02/04/2012

BBC is like FOX in USA, have part of Government as Republican and most fanatic Religious party

[mylittlepwny]

07:21 AM on 02/06/2012

It isn't called the EBC.

[jo smith456]

06:36 AM on 02/04/2012

that's the problem when supposedly-objective and neutral reporters become pawns of govt (internal or foreign)...

[Cratewasher]

10:25 PM on 02/03/2012

Hey that sounds familiar!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html?ref=green&ir=Green

[Cratewasher]

10:24 PM on 02/03/2012

Did they arrest them like the Republicans did to journalists at the Capitol yesterday?

[clearthinker16]

08:13 PM on 02/03/2012

and this surprise us how

[Cratewasher]

10:26 PM on 02/03/2012

Just like America!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html?ref=green&ir=Green

[Georga Grivois]

07:21 PM on 02/03/2012

This is ridiculous! Why is the BBC pushing this Right Wing Rot!! Bad enough that the Extreme right in Israel and the Republican Maniac Party are doing it! Does any one ever think what another war would do to the economy! Where has all logic fled to..is the world going completely Bonkers???

[ruhaba]

08:07 PM on 02/03/2012

It is Not ridiculous, if you are Iranian you know is true, so much injustice this government has done to it's own people. Nobody is going to go to war with Iran and Iran can not afford to go to war with any body, they have not developed bomb,it is just hot air..As a Iranian American i wish freedom for my people and my country without any kind of wars.

[Georga Grivois]

08:58 AM on 02/04/2012

My point was that it is wrong to want a war with Iran they have done nothing to deserve the treatment that they are receiving! The Israeli right wing extremists along with the BBC and American Right wing Media are idiotic! President Obama has told Israel in no uncertain terms that USA WILL NOT support Israel if they attack Iran. Sorry if you misunderstood my post. I am on your side.

[altohone]

06:21 PM on 02/03/2012

The Brits seem unaware that they no longer have an empire. Their own people are voting to ditch them and yet they meddle abroad and act as if the repercussions are unfair.

The BBC publishing neocon ideology as news angers lots of people still sore about Iraq. Who would have guessed it would cause blowback.

[PostCapitalist]

06:18 PM on 02/05/2012

Well I submit that there is an Empire, England and the USA are parts of it. We are the enforcers for the Bankster class. Look up "City of London".

[mylittlepwny]

07:24 AM on 02/06/2012

The BBC points out that the family members of their staff are being routinely held in solitary confinement and you drag their former empire into the conversation as if it is relevant. Is it just a knee jerk response?

[somaliLiberal]

04:38 PM on 02/03/2012

Iran should close the BBC it has no benefit for Iran it is working against it is national interest..

[cincypix]

03:56 PM on 02/04/2012

Iran is working against the interest of its own people by cutting off access to non-Basij news outlets. The Basiji and state run media provide faulty information to support their own political and financial interests. Sacred corruption flourishes, leadership believes their own hype, they go to war with neighboring countries and lose.

If this philosophy has failed other countries, how will this misguided philosophy help Iran? Please share some examples...

[somaliLiberal]

04:22 AM on 02/05/2012

Well The BBC is not there to help Iran it is their to make sure the propaganda against the Iranian regime is heard by people who are unaware of the plan behind the BBC's propaganda!

Tell me how the BBC was good for Saddam's regime it was telling people they will be save after he is gone and we know the result! Iraq is worst off to day then ever before. It is just like what Fox news is in the US! BBC never said the war in Iraq was illegal!