Groups linked to Iranian regime are sponsoring migrant visas

The Iranian regime's "nerve centre" in Britain has awarded certificates of sponsorship to migrants, whilst the Labour government has allowed Ayatollah-supporting groups the right to sponsor migrants.

There has been recent online concern about the Register of Licence sponsors and - as highlighted by the Procurement Files - the number of low-grade businesses that appear on the list.

This follows previous research by the Centre for Migration Control in 2025 that revealed kebab houses and halal butchers were not just on the list, but actually awarding dozens of Certificates of Sponsorship to migrants.

Following this renewed interest in the register of sponsors, the size of which has increased fourfold since 2020, the CMC is publishing an investigation that shows the list is not just a route for low-skilled migration, but a potential national security threat.

New research conducted by the Centre for Migration Control, using data obtained by FOI, reveals that the Home Office has permitted controversial, Iranian regime-supporting Islamic organisations to actually AWARD certificates of sponsorship to migrants.

The findings show that the Shia Asna Ashri Islamic Centre, the Manchester Islamic Institute, and the Islamic Centre of England are all on the Home Office’s register of licenced sponsors. These groups have previously either celebrated the Iranian revolution, operated as consulates for Iran, or been identified as a “central node” of Tehran’s influence in Britain.

Furthermore, information obtained via FOI shows Labour has allowed the controversial Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation, led by a former member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, and the Islamic Centre of Central London, which does not allow women onto the premises, to join the list.

Organisations given the right to sponsor migrants since July 2024

Data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI2026/02482) shows that, since July 2024, 27,678 organisations have been added to the skilled worker register of sponsors.

Amongst these organisations are groups that have celebrated the Iranian Islamic revolution, and those that act as the Iranian regime’s de factor consulate in Scotland.

Shia Asna Ashri Islamic Centre:

The Times reported, in 2019, that the Shia Asna Ashri Islamic Centre (SAAIC) had provided consular services for Iran, allowing Iranians living in Scotland to vote in a Presidential election.

It was also listed on the Iranian embassy website as a venue that provided consular services.

In 2017 it hosted an event to mark the “Islamic Revolutionary Fajr” — a celebration of the anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Iran before the 1979 revolution.

Iranian dissidents regularly protested outside the SAAIC premises, believing the organisation to be Iran’s de facto consulate in Scotland.

Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation:

In 2009 it was reported that senior members of the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation (ISF) were senior members and activists of Hizb ut-Tahrir - the Islamist extremist group that wants to create a universal caliphate and was proscribed by the British government in 2024.

This led to the then leader of the opposition, David Cameron describing the foundation as a “front organisation” for Hizb.

The 2009 report found that the schools’ website said their “ultimate goal” and “foremost work” was the creation of an “Islamic personality” in children.

The schools’ history curriculum stated that children are taught that “there must be one ruler of the khilafah [caliphate]”. The schools’ website said that “in the glorious history of Islam… the Sharia was the norm”.

The staff named in the report included the ISF Trustee Farah Ahmed, who remains chair of the charity and designed the curriculum. She has previously written in a Hizb journal condemning the “corrupt Western practices of materialism and freedom”.

The ISF runs schools in North London and Slough, and in 2010, was cleared by the Charity Commission of any wrongdoing, despite Ahmed admitting to being a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir in the past.

In 2015, Ofsted found that classes in the ISF’s London school were “too heavily based around Islam”, “focusing too much on the Islamic perspective”, and “fundamental British values and citizenship are not sufficiently well promoted” at the site.

Manchester Islamic Institute (t/a Manchester Islamic Centre)

The Manchester Islamic Institute (MII) has previously hosted celebrations of the “glorious” Islamic revolution in Iran, which have included videos on “the achievements of the Islamic revolution”, recitations of the national anthem of the Islamic Republic,

And in March this year a vigil was held outside the Manchester Islamic Centre to mourn the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Indeed, the MIC has also previously hosted celebrations of the life of former Ruhollah Khomeini, the “founder of the Islamic awakening”:

Islamic Centre, Central London

The Islamic Centre, Central London (ICCL) has a longstanding practice of excluding women from the premises. The website of the ICCL currently states the following:

This is not a recent development. The charity’s 2022 annual report states that “we cannot accommodate women for prayers because, due to limitations in the size and layout of the building, we are unable to provide separate facilities for both men and women in compliance with local laws and with Sharia law”.

Organisations linked to the Iranian regime are sponsoring migrants

Islamic Centre of England

It can also be revealed that the Islamic Centre of England (ICE) continues to hold a valid licence to sponsor migrants, despite recent reporting of its direct links to the Tehran regime.

Last month, the Walney report “Undue Influence” identified ICE as a “central node” in a growing network of British charities that are aligned to Iran. It has also been described as the Iranian regime’s “nerve centre” in the UK and - as reported by The Times - shared leaflets following the Ayatollah’s death advertising an event “to mourn the martyrdom” of Khamenei.

Aliasghar Ramezanpour, deputy minister of culture in the Iranian government between 2000 and 2003, was interviewed by Walney and described ICE as a “kind of a headquarters that supervises all the network [of charities in the UK]”.

The Charity Commission warned the ICE after two events in 2020 that eulogised Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC military commander killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020. It has been subject to a statutory inquiry since 2022.

Its former imam, Seyed Hashem Moosavi, who resigned as secretary in December 2022 according to Companies House, has praised Soleimani as a “dedicated soldier of Islam” who died at the hands of “the most wicked members of the human race”.

Its past director and secretary was appointed to ICE by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in an Israeli airstrike, who oversaw brutal crackdowns on the Iranian people and the repression of dissidents abroad.

On 14th December 2025, ICE held a “grand community bazaar” at which items were being sold that contained messages in support of Hezbollah.

As of 29th May 2026, the Home Office “Register of licensed sponsors: workers” shows that ICE is licenced to sponsor temporary religious workers, skilled workers, and ministers of religion.

Home Office data, obtained by the CMC via FOI (FOI 2025 / 06540) shows that ICE awarded certificates of sponsorship to migrants in 2022 which were then used as part of visa applications - although the number of COS awarded has not been disclosed.

Irshad Trust (t/a The Islamic College)

The Irshad Trust (IT) owns and runs the Islamic College (IC). As identified by Lord Walney:

“ISLAMIC COLLEGE teaching staff and leadership have held senior political and clerical roles in the Iranian regime.”

“In an article about ICAS in The Times in 2006, another IRSHAD TRUST trustee, Abdolhossein MOEZI, was described as a personal representative of KHAMENEI and as a director of ICEL.”

As of 22nd April 2026, the Irshad Trust is licenced to sponsor migrants under the skilled worker visa route, the temporary religious worker visa route, and the ministers of religion visa route.

In July 2023, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman told the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament:

“it is highly likely that institutions, educational institutions linked with the ICE, including the Irshad Trust, the Islamic College of Advanced Studies and Hawza Ilmiyya also promote ‘Khomenei-ism”

Data received by the CMC, via FOI, shows that the Irshad Trust awarded certificates of sponsorship to migrants in 2023 - although the number of COS awarded has not been disclosed.

The Mosque and Islamic Centre of Brent

Last month, the i paper reported that a preacher at the Mosque and Islamic Centre of Brent (MICB) had praised Ayatollah Khamenei following his death.

On 28 February, following reports of Khamenei’s death, the mosque imam announced the news by telling worshippers: “The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei has passed away.”

He went on: “This might be controversial, but the truth is he stood up for the truth and for the oppressed ones.

“When many were silent he stood up. It is obligatory upon us to pray for the ones who defend the ummah [global Muslim community].

“He, in a very brave manner, specifically for the Muslims of Gaza, supported them, spoke in their favour.

In July 2025, the Charity Commission issued an official warning to the MICB following five speeches given on its premises between November and December 2023.

“Four included inflammatory and divisive content, two contained content that could reasonably be interpreted as encouraging support of Hamas, a proscribed organisation, and one could be reasonably interpreted as discouraging worshippers from engaging with democratic processes.”

As of 29th May 2026, the MICB is registered to sponsor migrants under the charity worker visa route, the temporary religious workers visa route, and the religious ministers visa route.

Data received by the CMC, via FOI, shows that the MICB awarded certificates of sponsorship to migrants in 2023 - although the number of COS awarded has not been disclosed.

Idara-e-Jaaferiya

The Charity Commission is currently conducting an investigation into Idara-e-Jaaferiya (IEJ) after “a volunteer at the Charity gave a Madrassa lesson to children appearing to memorialise Major General Soleimani”.

The Walney report found that “at least as late as January 2025, the school featured images of then Ayatollah KHAMENEI on its walls” and that the IEJ has supported the Al-Quds day marches, which were banned this year by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

One teacher at the school posted an image on social media of a senior HEZBOLLAH commander following his death at Israeli hands in September 2024, describing him as a “martyr” and, the day after the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, posted: “We will make our children soldiers of Imam (Aaj)”.

As of 29th May 2026, Idara-e-Jaaferiya is registered with the Home Office to sponsor temporary religious workers.

Time for control

These findings open up questions as to the security of Britain’s legal migration system and whether the register of licenced sponsors needs an overhaul.

These deeply concerning revelations are the inevitable outcome of a system that is failing at every level. Successive governments have failed to crack down on the number of organisations that are eligible to sponsor migrants.

The result is a growing failure to prevent undesirable individuals from entering Britain legally, a surge in visa fraud and fundamental abuse of the British public’s hospitality.

There is an urgent need for the register of licenced sponsors to be subjected to a thorough review, with tens of thousands of organisations being stripped of the right to award certificates of sponsorship.