Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said on Tuesday that his country "reserves the right to legal pursuit" against the United States for hosting the Persian-language TV news network Iran International. 

"We do strongly advise the US government to be aware of the consequences under international law in hosting a terrorist, violence-promoting, pseudo media outlet," Kanani declared in comments carried by the judiciary-run Mizan news agency.  

The reaction came after the dissident TV network reported last week that it was suspending operations at its main headquarters in London and relocating to its smaller bureau in Washington, DC. Iran International cited advice from the London Metropolitan Police following "a significant escalation in state-backed threats from Iran" against its journalists.  

Launched in 2017, the outlet began operations in London before opening a second office in Washington last year. With exiled dissident Iranian journalists shaping the backbone of the staff, its editorial line has from the outset been a thorn in the side of the Islamic Republic. Notably, Iran International has put out extensive 24-hour coverage of the ongoing protest movement that has rocked Iran since mid-September, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody.