Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr has urged the UK Government to examine a coordinated influence uncovered by the UK Defence Journal and others linked to Iran that appears to be targeting online discussions about Scottish independence.
His call comes after a series of investigations by social-media analysis firms, academic researchers and news organisations, including the UK Defence Journal, identified networks of inauthentic accounts presenting themselves as Scottish independence supporters.
In a detailed letter to Security Minister Dan Jarvis, Kerr set out findings from recent studies suggesting that a significant portion of accounts engaging in online conversations about independence may be operating from Iran. He told the Minister that these accounts appear designed to imitate local activists while pushing anti-UK themes and, in some cases, pro-Iran messaging. Kerr asked the Home Office to outline what action it intends to take to assess the scale of the activity and protect political debate from foreign manipulation.
Kerr referred to Cyabra’s July 2025 report, which judged that roughly 1,300 of 5,083 accounts discussing Scottish independence on X showed characteristics of inauthentic behaviour. According to the research, these accounts frequently used AI-generated profile images, posted highly similar content and amplified one another, generating an estimated 224 million potential views.
Kerr’s letter further highlighted analysis published by the UK Defence Journal, which tracked a number of accounts believed to be connected to the same network. We reported that although the accounts appeared to be routing traffic through VPN servers in the Netherlands, X’s transparency tool flagged the devices as connecting via an Iran-based Android app store. The Journal also noted that the accounts stopped posting during Iran’s mid-June nationwide internet blackout, resuming afterwards with changes in tone and frequency.
BBC Verify has reported similar patterns, identifying accounts styled as Scottish pro-independence users but logged by X as connecting through the Iranian app store. Kerr points out that this model is consistent with earlier Iran-based networks removed by Meta, including a 2022 takedown of more than 130 accounts posing as Scottish or English users while circulating political content.
Kerr cited several of the personas identified in these reports, including accounts presenting themselves as young Scots in Dundee, Glasgow or Edinburgh, later found to be posting from Iran. Some of the accounts were interacted with or followed by SNP candidates or elected members, although the letter makes no claim that any politician intentionally engaged with foreign activity.
Kerr noted that the Intelligence and Security Committee’s July 2025 report described Iranian information operations targeting the UK as persistent and expanding.
Following publication of his letter, Kerr issued a statement criticising what he sees as the intent behind the network. He said “This is a coordinated effort by a hostile foreign regime to undermine our democracy and weaken the United Kingdom. The fact that these accounts have pushed praise of Iran’s Supreme Leader should set every alarm bell ringing.”
Kerr argued that some Scottish political figures had engaged with accounts linked in multiple investigations to Iranian activity. He said “SNP figures are promoting accounts whose interests run counter to Scotland’s own security. They seem so consumed by the independence cause that they will unthinkingly boost anything that waves a Saltire, even if it comes from a dangerous authoritarian regime.”
He added “It should trouble every Scot that countries like Iran are openly cheering on the SNP. They are not doing so out of affection for Scotland. They do it because they know the breakup of the UK would leave us weaker, less secure and far more vulnerable on the world stage.”
Kerr called on First Minister John Swinney to respond directly to the issue, saying “John Swinney must publicly condemn these bad faith actors who are trying to weaken our country. He should instruct his SNP colleagues to stop giving credibility and oxygen to foreign regime propaganda.”
Kerr has asked the Home Office to outline its processes for liaising with GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre on bot-network detection, and to set out any cross-departmental plans to counter foreign online influence operations. The Home Office has not yet issued a response.
