Alleged Iranian agent offers payment to LBC reporter for burning Trump and Netanyahu photos
Updated
Updated · LBC · Apr 24
Alleged Iranian agent offers payment to LBC reporter for burning Trump and Netanyahu photos
3 articles · Updated · LBC · Apr 24
An LBC investigation revealed a Telegram user, claiming ties to Iran’s intelligence service, offered $5 in cryptocurrency to an undercover reporter to burn photos on a London street and send a video.
The exchange, reported to counter terrorism police, is seen as the first step in recruiting financially motivated individuals for potential sabotage, amid a recent rise in arson attacks on Jewish sites in London.
UK officials, including the Prime Minister and Met Police, warn of increasing proxy recruitment for hostile acts, with new legislation promised to counter foreign influence and protect communities from antisemitic threats.
Why are British youths being targeted online for just $5 to carry out foreign sabotage plots?
With attacks on Jewish sites rising, is UK's new legislation enough to stop these 'expendable' proxies?
How is Iran turning petty crime into a weapon of 'hybrid warfare' on UK streets?
As Mideast tensions rise, are these London attacks the new frontline of a shadow war?
Can crypto's anonymity shield state-sponsored criminals, or will digital trails lead back to Tehran?
Iran’s Hybrid Warfare in the UK: A Fivefold Surge in Proxy Sabotage and Recruitment via Telegram
Overview
In July 2026, an undercover LBC investigation revealed Iran's covert recruitment in the UK, where individuals were offered small payments via cryptocurrency to perform minor sabotage acts as a test for more serious operations. This recruitment, conducted through encrypted platforms like Telegram, is part of Iran's broader hybrid warfare strategy that outsources hostile activities to financially motivated proxies, including vulnerable individuals and teenagers. Since 2025, this approach has fueled arson attacks targeting Jewish sites and Persian media, causing significant fear within communities. The UK government has responded by elevating Iran's threat level, increasing arrests, and planning to proscribe the IRGC, while facing challenges due to the anonymity and scale of these digital recruitment networks.