2007. Some 140 staff are employed of which about 40 are support personnel. Criticism BBC Persian has been long criticized and accused of promoting Iran regime's propaganda such as homophobic views in their programs by many Iranian's living outside of Iran. Many of Iranian's regime opposition believe that BBC's news are directional and one-sided that helps and justifies Iranian's regime brutality toward people of Iran. BBC Persian have been accused of the publication of a large amount of low important news and information, fragmented and sometimes archival images that have drawn severe criticism from the audience of this media claiming to be honest. Staff harassment In 2018 the BBC made an appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to help stop Iran from harassing its Persian Service staff in the United Kingdom and their families in Iran. The BBC states Iran began targeting BBC Persian staff after the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, when the Iranian government accused foreign media and intelligence services of interference. Iran has accused 152 current and former staff and contributors of "conspiracy against national security" and started criminal investigations, as well as instigating an asset freeze on many of those staff. Iran rejects the harassment allegations. Iran's permanent mission to the UN in Geneva stated "BBC Persian is not an independent media network ... Its financial and political affiliation with the ministry of foreign affairs and the British security agencies has been very serious." References Footnotes Sources External links Persian Persian-language radio stations Iran–United Kingdom relations Radio stations established in 1940