Iranian propaganda chief acts as trustee of ‘hostile’ British charity

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 15, 2026

Ahmad Vaezi, head of Iran’s state propaganda, is contesting a 12-year ban from serving as a trustee of the London-based Al-Tawheed Charitable Trust amid allegations of the charity’s links to groups influenced by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The UK tribunal’s decision, expected soon, could impact the oversight of charities connected to politically sensitive foreign actors and address concerns over extremist activities in the UK.

The head of Iran’s state propaganda apparatus has been identified as a trustee of a London-based Islamic charity under investigation for alleged links to hostile activities, a UK tribunal heard. Ahmad Vaezi is contesting a 12-year ban from serving as a charity trustee following an inquiry into the Al-Tawheed Charitable Trust.

The charity, headquartered in a former Methodist chapel in Hammersmith, west London, is accused of connections to student groups reportedly influenced by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). British authorities recently linked the IRGC to a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, a military airbase in England.

During a hearing of the first-tier charity tribunal, Adrian Francis, representing the Charity Commission, highlighted Vaezi’s senior roles within the Iranian regime, which the commission argues make his involvement incompatible with charity trusteeship. Vaezi serves as Iran’s supreme leader’s representative on European student affairs, heads the country’s Islamic propaganda office, and is a member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. The council was designated for sanctions by the UK in 2025 due to alleged human rights abuses in Iran.

The tribunal heard testimony that Al-Tawheed has been a base of operations for the Islamic Association of Students in London (IASL), a politically active group linked to Iranian interests since the 1970s. The IASL organised events at the charity’s premises commemorating Qasem Soleimani, the former IRGC general killed in a 2020 US drone strike. Evidence was also presented alleging that the student association livestreamed sessions featuring current and former IRGC commanders, including Saeed Ghasemi, who reportedly encouraged students in the UK to engage in conflict against groups he described as “oppressors and occupiers, Zionists and Jews.”

Francis described the broadcast materials as indicative of extremist activities connected to the British student group. He further cited Vaezi’s participation in the October 2024 “Hezbollah is Alive” event in Iran as evidence of his alignment with radical political positions associated with the Iranian government.

Vaezi, who also uses the surname Vaeijezei, did not attend the tribunal hearing after a request to provide testimony via videoconference from Iran was declined. He has denied any formal association between Al-Tawheed and the student groups and characterized his membership in the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution as a “purely academic” role that allows him to foster positive change. He disputed the sanctions against the council, describing them as politically motivated.

Alongside Vaezi, another trustee, Seyed Moosavi, who represents Iran’s supreme leader in the UK, is appealing a four-year disqualification linked to his involvement with Al-Tawheed and the Islamic Centre for England in northwest London.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission emphasized that decisions to suspend or disqualify trustees are made with considerable gravity and careful deliberation. The tribunal’s ruling on the appeals is expected at a later date.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.