Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, called on the British government to expel Iran’s ambassador in London following publications from Iran’s embassy that urged British-Iranians to join a program he views as encouraging “martyrdom.”
The call came after a message was posted on a Persian-language Telegram channel linked to the embassy, urging those “devoted to Iran” to remain loyal to their homeland and even “sacrifice themselves” for it. One post said: “Let us all give our bodies to be slaughtered, for that is preferable to giving our country to the enemy,” alongside a link to a dedicated registration website.
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Britain’s chief rabbi at the scene of this week’s attack in Golders Green
(Photo: Justin Tallis/ AFP)
In an interview with a BBC radio station, Mirvis said the message was effectively an explicit call for extremist action.
“This is basically a call for martyrdom,” he said.
According to him, the fact that such a message was published by a foreign diplomatic mission in Britain raises serious questions about public safety.
The chief rabbi linked the remarks to recent violent incidents, including Wednesday’s attack in which two Jews were seriously wounded in a stabbing spree in London. He noted that one day after the program was published, “we saw an attempt to stab as many people as possible simply because they were Jewish.”
He questioned why Britain was not taking steps similar to those taken by other countries.
“How is it that in Australia and Lebanon, Iran’s ambassador was expelled, but here he is still serving?” he asked.
Following the reports, Iran’s ambassador to Britain, Seyed Ali Mousavi, was summoned for a meeting at the Foreign Office by Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer. At the same time, London’s Metropolitan Police said it was examining the details of the message and its implications.
British prime minister met with boos at the scene of the stabbing attack
Mirvis warned of “Iran-sponsored terrorist activity” and criticized Britain for still not designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, a step he said was supported by figures in both major parties but had yet to be implemented.
“The threat must be examined far more seriously, not only to Jews, but to society as a whole,” he said.
The British government, however, is seeking to avoid a diplomatic escalation. Minister Alex Davies-Jones stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication with Tehran.
“It is important that we act carefully and keep diplomatic channels open, especially during a sensitive period in which fighting is taking place in Iran,” she said.
At the same time, she described the messages as “abhorrent” and said the ambassador had been summoned to discuss them and examine further steps.
The public debate surrounding the issue also expanded into the political arena. Nigel Farage, leader of a right-wing party in Britain, told the Jewish Chronicle that a government led by him would move to expel the Iranian ambassador.
In response, a spokesperson for the Iranian embassy in London rejected the claims and said the initiative was civilian in nature.
“Iranians around the world care about their homeland and the defense of its territorial integrity,” the spokesperson said. “The platform is intended for those who wish to support their country and does not promote hostility.”