A British Iranian film-maker is fundraising for families of terror group Hezbollah, whose fighters he has described as “brave men”.
Dr Reza John Vedadi, a media commentator who has appeared on the Iranian state-owned Press TV, said on social media that he was raising money for families whose “sons, husbands and fathers fought and gave their lives and limbs” in Lebanon.
Vedadi, who has addressed Islamic and Iranian student societies at several leading London universities, also memorialised the late “Butcher of Tehran” Ebrahim Raisi as a “martyr”, sharing an image of the late Iranian president sweeping snow with his servants.
The film-maker, who researches the representation of Muslims in Hollywood, previously described fighters in Yemen and Lebanon as “brave men”.
“Get yourself a friend like those brave men of Yemen and Lebanon. No matter how tired they are after fighting global oppressors, they will still come to aid you in your [h]our of need,” he posted on Instagram on Monday.
In the wake of the Lebanon ceasefire deal, he posted: “A Lebanese family in Qom/Iran is in need of financial aid. If you would like to donate please DM [direct message]. The war has stopped for now, but many will need our support to get back home and rebuild.
“Please remember their sons, husbands and fathers fought and gave their lives and limbs. Least we can do is support those in need.”
On LinkedIn he posted about Ayatollah Khamenei’s “enlightening sermon” on October 4. Vedadi said Khamenei’s speech – in which the Supreme Leader referred to October 7 as a moment of “fierce defence” – sent a “powerful message to the world”.
Posting to his professional network, Vedadi wrote: “The clerics lauded the IRGC’s [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] precision and strength in targeting the heart of the occupied territories, offering renewed hope to Palestinians and the families of those who have lost their lives resisting occupation.
“Unity like this holds the key to enduring peace and justice,” he went on, attaching a drawing of Khamenei.
In Vedadi’s other posts, he has condemned Western sanctions against Iran – “Isra*l with the support and arming of Western countries are bur*ng palestinians alive, however the west will sanction iran for attacking zi*nist military bases with missiles!” [sic] – and criticised the “Zionist colonial enterprise”. On Press TV, he branded Israel’s actions in Gaza a “Holocaust”.
The government forbids anyone in the UK from providing financial aid to Hezbollah, a banned terror group.
The JC approached Vedadi for comment.