Dear Sir,
I write in response to your appalling article of 27 January 2025 (Brains behind HMD boycott is ally of Iran regime’s street thugs – The Jewish Chronicle)
The piece is libellous, full of fabrications, misleading and written with the intention of advancing a narrative instead of reporting facts in their proper context.
It is revealing that, despite soliciting our responses to the questions you posed, you have chosen to selectively quote from them rather than presenting them fully or in their proper context. This approach is consistent with the Jewish Chronicle’s troubling track record of misrepresentation, breaches of journalistic standards, and the publications headlong slide into overt Islamophobia.
I write not in the expectation that your publication will retract its scurrilous claims but with the aim of correcting some parts of your fabricated report.
In order to set the record straight I would like to clarify the following:
- Appearing or publishing on a particular platform is not equivalent to endorsing or supporting it. Over the years, I have appeared on Sky News and the BBC, among others. While the Jewish Chronicle acknowledges this in its article, it does not suggest that I support or promote their editorial lines or the views of individuals they platform or promote. The same principle applies to other platforms on which I have appeared.
- While I am not here to answer for the said individuals, I would like to take the opportunity to point out that you are wrong in your assertion that Mohammed Sadegh Shahbazi is a member of the Basij. You are similarly wrong in the assertion that Mohammad Sadegh Kowshaki is associated with Basij and Ansar-e Hezbollah.
- Neither Ofogh or Masaf International are affiliated to IRGC. In fact, Ofogh is part of the Iranian national broadcaster IRIB.
- It is not my position to speak for the IHRC Trust but your suggestion that it has been in receipt of taxpayer money is deliberately misleading. Gift Aid is a tax exemption that applies to taxpayer donations made to registered charities so it follows that the benefit accruing to IHRC Trust is from monies that have only been donated by IHRC Trust’s supporters. It is not, as you suggest, money advanced by the generality of British taxpayers.
It is also worth noting that the primary source for your article, Kasra Aarabi, works at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), an organisation with a well-documented history of extreme hostility towards Iran[i]. UANI patrons, employees, and members are known to publicly advocate for rebellions, insurrections, and warfare against various Middle Eastern countries. UANI itself has repeatedly called for military strikes against Iran. Given UANI’s overtly aggressive stance, its credibility as a reliable source is highly questionable. Its sources of funding further indicate ideological compromise.[ii] [iii] It is unsurprising that such a source would provide half-truths, distortions, and innuendo to advance its own violent agenda rather than present an objective account.
That the Jewish Chronicle would rely on such compromised intelligence source to attack pro-Palestine groups is in keeping with the publication’s recent activity.[iv]
As a matter of policy, IHRC publishes all media correspondence in full. We will also include our responses to the JC 13, 17 and 18 January 2025. This ensures there is an accurate public record of the exchange, should our comments be misquoted or omitted entirely.
Yours faithfully,
Massoud Shadjareh
Chair, Islamic Human Rights Commission
[i] https://theintercept.com/2020/03/05/iran-coronavirus-medicine-sanctions/
[ii] https://mronline.org/2024/01/16/united-against-nuclear-iran/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[iii] https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2015/07/06/document-reveals-billionaire-backers-behind-uani/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[iv] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/12/idf-investigates-claim-jewish-chronicle-published-stories-based-on-fabricated-intelligence
Dear Jane,
It appears from your email that you have already decided what you will write. Given that is the case, there seems little point in me responding further, except to reiterate that your conclusions are substantially inaccurate and in totality misrepresentative of myself and IHRC. As you are intent on libelling and defaming me, I reserve my right to bring appropriate proceedings.
You also appear to be stretching every sinew to suggest that IHRC is being funded by British taxpayers. To clarify, IHRC is not a charity and, therefore, does not receive gift aid. IHRC Trust, on the other hand, is a charity, and you may wish to address your questions about gift aid to them directly. That said, it is evident that you are either being disingenuous or lack an understanding of how gift aid works. The funds a charity receives through gift aid represent the tax relief applied to donations made by its donors and supporters. Contrary to your insinuation, this money is not provided by the entirety of British taxpayers.
Regards
Massoud Shadjareh
Chair
IHRC
