The Scottish National Party appears to have received substantial backing from the Iranian government. This allegation is supported by a sudden silence from dozens of pro-independence social media accounts just as Israel launched airstrikes against Iran. Coincidence? Hardly.
Social Media Silence Raises Red Flags
Dozens of anonymous social media accounts that had been fervently supporting Scottish independence on X, formerly Twitter, went mute on June 13, the same day that Israel began its airstrike campaign against Iranian targets. These accounts had previously generated an astonishing volume of content, with reports indicating they were responsible for approximately 250,000 pro-independence posts since late 2021.
Evidence of Iranian Influence
According to the UK Defence Journal, many of these accounts posted up to hundreds of messages each week that championed independence and criticized the UK government. Their abrupt cessation of activity coincided with a crippling internet blackout across Iran, affecting over 95 percent of the country’s connectivity.
Experts, including a veteran intelligence researcher who spoke to the UKDJ, suggest that these accounts were not merely inactive but were effectively cut off from their command-and-control structure, likely housed in Iranian cyber infrastructure. The synchronicity of their silence is too compelling to dismiss as mere coincidence.
Foreign Interference in Domestic Politics
This incident raises serious questions about foreign interference in domestic politics. For years, we have been cautioned about alleged Russian influence on Western elections. Yet here we find a foreign government—one with a well-documented history of hostility toward the West—actively attempting to undermine the political integrity of the United Kingdom.
The findings from Clemson University estimate that this Iranian-backed campaign constituted at least four percent of the discourse around Scottish independence on social media, and likely much more. This manipulation of public sentiment is a clear violation of democratic norms and calls into question the legitimacy of the pro-independence movement.
SNP's Complicity or Ignorance?
The SNP has historically positioned itself as the voice of Scottish independence, promoting the narrative that Scotland is oppressed by England. However, the revelation of Iranian involvement complicates their narrative and raises the specter of complicity. Are they unwitting pawns in a foreign agenda, or is there a more sinister understanding at play?
Humza Yousaf, the SNP leader, has previously lamented Scotland’s “whiteness” and promoted policies that align with mass migration. It is essential to scrutinize whether his administration is aware of, or even benefiting from, foreign influence.
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Consequences for Scottish Independence Movement
The implications of this revelation are profound. The SNP's push for independence is now tainted by the association with a regime that openly opposes Western values. This could undermine the legitimacy of their claims and alienate potential supporters who may not be comfortable with such an association.
Moreover, as the US researchers have indicated, this network of Iranian accounts was responsible for a far greater amount of discourse regarding independence than the SNP itself. This raises the question: how much of the independence narrative has been shaped by foreign actors rather than genuine grassroots support?
The Bigger Picture
This incident serves as a stark reminder that the threats to our democratic institutions often come from unexpected sources. While much attention has been focused on Russian interference, it is clear that other adversarial nations are also eager to exploit divisions within Western democracies. Iran's attempt to leverage social media for political gain in Scotland is just one example of how foreign powers can manipulate public opinion.
In this light, the SNP's future endeavors must be scrutinized. Their commitment to independence appears less about the will of the Scottish people and more about leveraging current geopolitical tensions. The question remains: how far will they go to achieve their goals, and at what cost to Scotland's sovereignty and integrity?
