Panicking Iranian regime 'seeking UK passports' for families as officials flee Tehran
EXCLUSIVE: Widespread unrest continued in the Islamic Republic as protesters marked 40 days since the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The Iranian-Kurd died on September 16 in hospital after being beaten by security forces for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly under the country's strict hijab laws.
Iran: Mourners defy police and gather at Mahsa Amini's grave
Iranian officials are seeking “British passports” for their families as they charter “five flights a day” fleeing the pariah state, Express.co.uk has been told. Traditionally 40 days is a mourning milestone in Iranian culture and scores of civilians massed in cities across Iran on Wednesday. The Iranian regime has in the past brutally put down any dissent but the latest ongoing unrest has shown no sign of abating. Express.co.uk has learned sections of the main airport in Tehran have been taken over by regime forces as a fast-track area for their own family and friends to escape the country.
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Speaking to Express.co.uk an Iranian source – who cannot be named for security reasons – said things at the airport were moving fast.
He said: “It started around two weeks ago. The regime changed all security detail at the airport.
“They were moving civilians (friends and family) from the back entrance of the airport directly to the aeroplanes for international flights, at least five flights a day.
“They would move the regular staff away whenever this was happening and also confiscate their phones. They also replaced the regular staff who are handling the commercially important people (VIP) section of the airport with their own staff.
“It is hard to verify because they are taking away people’s phones, but based on what I have seen before it wouldn't be completely crazy if the regime was doing this.
“They will be looking for Canadian, Swiss and UK passports."
READ MORE: Iranian protesters shot by riot police at grave of woman killed over hijab laws
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It comes as Conservative MP Bob Stewart said in the House of Commons on Tuesday he had heard a “substantial rumour” family of the leaders of Iran were seeking British passports.
The MP for Beckenham raised the fear that Iranian officials may be seeking to make London a safe refuge during a Crisis in Iran debate.
He said: “Could I ask the minister to assure the House that London doesn’t become a place of safe refuge for the Iranian regime proponents?
“Can she assure me for instance that money from Iran funding platforms which are pro-Iranian in this country are closely looked at?
“And in particular can she assure me that there is quite a substantial rumour that families of the leaders in Iran are getting British passports, which to me is iniquitous.”
In response, Foreign Office minister Gillian Keegan said the claims would be investigated.
She told the House: “Obviously, we have our own rule of law here in the UK, but in relation to the rumours he has heard about passports, I haven’t heard those, but I will certainly look into that and write to him.”
On Wednesday Iranian state-run press reported at least 15 people had been killed in an ISIS attack on a holy shrine in Shiraz in southern Iran.
A source told Express.co.uk that the "ISIS" atrocity could have been orchestrated by the regime.
He said: “People are saying that it is the regime who have done it.
“Usually when they are under pressure they take these drastic measures to divert attention and try to buy some goodwill.”
