Trusted Beyond Borders: The BBC World Service in Iran

Events in Iran remind us yet again of the vital importance of the BBC World Service.

With a near total internet blackout, the only reliable, verified news from Iran reaches us, and Iranians themselves, via the BBC.

During the Iran/Israel conflict last year, BBC Persian, part of the BBC World Service, increased broadcasts to round-the-clock and launched emergency radio services in Persian.

Within five days, BBC Persian had reached over 32 million users on Instagram, with some posts being seen over 12 million times, despite the platform having been blocked.

Last year, I invited Rozita Lotfi, the Head of BBC Persian, to parliament and heard from her directly about the danger faced by World Service journalists while working to counter Iranian state narratives.

Since 2009, journalists reporting on Iran have faced threats, potential charges carrying the death penalty, and anxiety over family safety.

Ordinary Iranians, so desperate to view trusted BBC news, are also risking their safety by using VPNs to bypass Iran’s strict internet censorship.

The service the BBC provides to its global audience of 414 million people across 43 languages, including 64 million people every week in the 20 most fragile states, must always be valued and defended.