Iran is attempting to influence Scotland to split from the UK by using fake social media accounts to “promote disunity and division”, a think tank said.
Tehran is putting “considerable effort” into developing a strong political relationship with Scottish nationalists who want independence, a report by the Henry Jackson Society in London said.
It is understood that Iran, which has a long history of hostility towards Britain, would like to see Scotland break away as a means of undermining UK power.
With key elections to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, the London think tank claimed cyber specialists working for Iran were using false Twitter and Facebook accounts to influence voters.
If the ruling Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) wins a strong majority in Edinburgh, it is highly likely to begin the process of seeking another independence referendum, the first since 2014.
“Iran is almost certainly looking to disrupt our current elections, most likely those under way for the Scottish Assembly,” the report said.
“Iran’s activities in cyberspace are designed to attack the constitutional integrity of the UK. There appear to be elements within Iran who are willing to interfere in the UK’s domestic politics to encourage Scottish separatism.”
Facebook has closed 446 fake Iranian accounts for breaching its policies against foreign interference. In February, the social media outlet published an image of a post from a fake Iranian online persona mocking the Scottish Conservatives.
Additionally, more than 100 domain names being used in influence campaigns by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were seized by the US last year. These included sites such as syria-victory.com and yemenpress.org, related to regional Iranian foreign policy objectives. But there were also domains such as criticalstudies.org “which few would immediately associate” with the Iranian military.
The report highlighted a history of strong links between Iran and the SNP that included meetings between prominent members of the pro-independence party and Tehran regime figures.
“Several Scottish nationalists have embraced this approach, even visiting the country in search of a future working relationship and developing ties with representatives of the Iranian state at home,” it said. In 2015, officials from Scottish Development International visited Iran to discuss opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
Iranian activity has been increasingly detected in Scotland in the past year and the regime "put considerable effort into developing its political relationships with Scottish political elites who advocate independence", the report said.
It found Iran has established “Russian-style disinformation campaigns” of fake websites and internet accounts to disrupt democratic political systems.
But increased focus on the Iran-SNP relationship “disrupted engagement” between Dr Mohammad Shomali, former representative in the UK for Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
“Whilst there is no suggestion that Scottish nationalist politicians have encouraged or endorsed Iran’s interference, it sets a troubling precedent, with the issue of a potential second referendum on Scottish independence a deeply contentious one,” the report said.
The report’s findings were part of a broader investigation into Iran’s destabilising activities in the UK that will be published later this week.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Read more about the coronavirus
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Race card:
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m
7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m
10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
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Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
RESULTS
Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18
Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
