Iran plans to widen its pursuit of regime critics abroad, with a new online system set up to “identify and punish traitors” outside the country. Under the scheme, loyalists are encouraged to “send information” about regime opponents to an online portal or messenger app. Those identified as “traitors” could have their Iranian citizenship revoked, state television said. It said the stated aim of the project – known as Elaaj, meaning remedy or cure – is to “protect national security and the interests of the Iranian people against anti-patriotic, separatist movements and those promoting sanctions and military attacks”. Punishments could also include “cutting off financial and media access for traitors living abroad”, state media said, without explaining what that would mean. Monday's announcement is the latest in a long line of Iranian policies to track down and intimidate expats who oppose the clerical leadership in Tehran. In June, two men were found guilty in Britain of stabbing a journalist for anti-regime TV station Iran International, a hit which prosecutors said had been ordered “on behalf of the Iranian state”. Iranian authorities regularly label opposition activists and dissidents abroad as “anti-revolutionary” or “separatist”. Human rights campaigners say such charges are often used broadly in national security cases. Iranian cyber attackers have also been known to develo...
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