Britain plans to designate Iran’s IRGC as a terror group.

London, United Kingdom

The British government has announced plans to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, widely known as the IRGC, as a terrorist organization, marking one of the most significant shifts in the United Kingdom’s approach toward Iran in recent years. The proposed designation comes amid growing concerns over what British authorities describe as an increasing number of Iran-linked security threats and alleged hostile activities on UK soil, signaling a tougher national security stance against organizations accused of operating on behalf of foreign states.

The decision was announced after British officials concluded that an Iran-backed group was responsible for a series of attacks targeting Jewish community sites in London. According to the government, investigators linked the incidents, which included arson attacks on synagogues and charity ambulances, to the IRGC’s Quds Force, the branch of the organization responsible for overseas military and intelligence operations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government had determined that stronger legal measures were necessary to counter what it described as an evolving threat to public safety and national security.

If approved by Parliament, the designation would make it a criminal offence in the United Kingdom to support, promote, recruit for, or provide assistance to the IRGC. Individuals found guilty of such activities could face substantial prison sentences under Britain’s national security laws. Officials say the move will provide law enforcement agencies with broader powers to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute individuals or networks believed to be acting on behalf of the organization.

The action is expected to be implemented under Britain’s National Security legislation, which introduced expanded powers allowing the government to target organizations connected to hostile foreign states. British ministers have argued that the legal framework is designed to respond more effectively to modern security threats, including espionage, sabotage, and state-backed extremist activities operating within the country.

Alongside the planned designation of the IRGC, the government has also announced measures against other organizations it says pose national security risks. These include the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, an Iran-backed group accused of carrying out attacks against Jewish and Israeli-linked sites in Britain, as well as a Russian-linked intelligence organization known as the GRU Volunteer Corps, which authorities allege has been involved in espionage and sabotage activities.

The IRGC itself remains one of Iran’s most influential military institutions. Established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it operates alongside Iran’s regular armed forces and oversees the country’s ballistic missile program, while its elite Quds Force conducts operations beyond Iran’s borders. Although the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on the IRGC for several years, previous governments stopped short of formally classifying the organization as a terrorist group, citing concerns over diplomatic consequences and the potential impact on relations with Tehran.

Iran has consistently rejected allegations that the IRGC directs attacks inside Britain or supports violent activities abroad in the manner described by Western governments. Iranian officials have previously warned that any decision to officially designate the organization as a terrorist group would further strain diplomatic relations between London and Tehran.

The proposed designation now moves to Parliament for consideration. If approved, it would represent one of the strongest actions taken by the United Kingdom against Iran in decades, reflecting a broader effort by British authorities to strengthen domestic security while responding to what they describe as an increasingly complex landscape of foreign state-backed threats.

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