Against the backdrop of protests against the Iranian regime with over 250 people killed after Iran acted violently against protesters following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini by officers from the Hijab Police. Frightened Iranian officials try to get British passports to get families out of the country and flee Iran
Iranian officials are trying to get their families British passports to leave the country, and amid widespread violent protests after the death of an Iranian woman in police custody for not wearing a legal headscarf, senior Iranian government officials have chartered up to “five flights a day” for their families as they search “British passports” to get them out of the country, the British newspaper The Express reported.
“It started about two weeks ago,” said an Iranian source. “The regime changed all the security details at the airport, they transferred citizens (friends and family) from the back entrance of the airport directly to planes for international flights, at least five flights a day.” The Iranian officials also tried to purchase Swiss and Canadian passports, according to the report.
In a conversation with the newspaper, an Iranian source – whose name cannot be named for security reasons – said that things at the airport are moving quickly. He said: “It started about two weeks ago. The regime changed all the security details at the airport. “They keep the regular staff away every time this happens and also confiscate their phones. They also replaced the regular staff handling the airport’s Commercially Important Persons (VIP) section with their own staff.
Conservative MP Bob Stewart said he had heard Iranian officials were fleeing to the UK and asked Foreign Secretary Gillian Keegan if the reports were true. “Obviously, we have our own rule of law here in the UK, but in relation to the rumors he’s heard about passports, I haven’t heard them, but I will certainly look into it and write to him,” Keegan said.
The escape of Iranian politicians comes after protesters in Iran and around the world took to the streets to protest the death of 22-year-old Mahsha Amini, who died in custody in September after she was arrested by the “morality police” for not covering her head as required by Iranian law.