An Iranian news service has temporarily suspended live broadcasts from London after police warned it faced a “serious and imminent threat" of terrorism.

Iran International ceased broadcasting from its headquarters in Chiswick, West London, on Friday and transferred all its 24-hour news bulletins to Washington. The London base has since been fortified and placed under armed guard.

Despite the temporary suspension of broadcasts from the London office, those from the Farsi-language network in Washington will continue 24 hours a day.

It came days after an Austrian man appeared in court charged with planning a terror offence after he was accused of filming outside their offices.

Magomed-Hussein Dovtaev, 30, allegedly took seven videos depicting the security arrangements of Volant Media, based at Chiswick Business Park.

Volant Media manage Iran International, described at Westminster Magistrates Court as an "independent Farsi language news channel which has been critical of the current regime in Iran".

Dovtaev denied the terrorism charge and he was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on 3 March.

Mahmood Enayat, General Manager of Iran International TV, said: “I cannot believe it has come to this. A foreign state has caused such a significant threat to the British public on British soil that we have to move. Let’s be clear, this is not just a threat to our TV station but the British public at large.

Vowing to continue broadcasting, Mr Enayat added: “Even more this is an assault on the values of sovereignty, security and free speech that the UK has always held dear. Day and night our journalists strive to deliver the 85mn people of Iran and its diaspora the independent, uncensored news they deserve. We refuse to be silenced by these cowardly threats. We will continue to broadcast. We are undeterred.”

The service has historically received threats from authorities of the Islamic Republic, but these have increased along with its coverage of the recent uprisings in Iran.

The head of Britain's counter-terrorism police, Matt Jukes, said on Thursday that the Islamic Republic had attempted to kidnap or even kill British nationals or residents at least 15 times, noting that the force was increasingly dealing with threats from hostile countries including Russia, China and Iran. Tried in Britain.

The authorities of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly threatened Iran International and its employees, threats which have increased significantly following the coverage of the Iranian people's revolutionary uprising in recent months.