UK designates Iran’s IRGC as terrorist organization — Sky News

Lead

The United Kingdom announced on Monday that it will list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, a decision described by The Guardian as a major escalation in diplomatic tensions with Tehran. The Home Office said it would ban support for the IRGC, a central branch of the Iranian military, after years of political division over the issue. The move is equivalent to proscription, though not legally identical, according to The Guardian. TASS, citing a written statement from Minister of State for Security Angela Eagle to the UK parliament, reported that Britain had officially proscribed the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that anyone found supporting or assisting the designated groups will face up to 14 years in prison, later confirmed by an official Home Office statement. The announcement, which includes the designation of the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) and proxies and volunteers of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, gives the British government “proscription-like” powers to designate foreign state proxies that threaten national security.

Coverage

Coverage of the announcement differed in emphasis across outlets. The Guardian framed the move as a major diplomatic escalation and noted it overturns the previous Conservative government’s decision not to ban the IRGC. It also detailed the government’s justification, citing a Home Office statement about “foreign power threat activity” and the need to protect Britain’s safety and interests.

TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported the fact of the proscription and mentioned the designation of Ashab al-Yamin—also referred to as the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand—as terrorists. TASS explained the British government’s reason as the elite Iranian army unit being “allegedly involved in the intimidation of critics of the Islamic Republic on UK soil.”

The Hindu focused heavily on Iran’s response, reporting that the Foreign Ministry “condemns the hostile act of the British government as unjustified, irresponsible and contrary to the fundamental principles and rules of international law.” It also highlighted the broader scope of the proposed legislation, including the ban on Russia’s GRU proxies and the IMCR, and noted that a London court had jailed caused two people jailed for a 2024 knife attack on an Iran International journalist that was carried out at Iran’s behest.

Key Claims

The following factual points are drawn from the available reporting:

• The UK will list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, as reported by both The Guardian and TASS.
• The move is described as “equivalent to proscription” but not legally identical, according to The Guardian.
• The designation applies to other specified prosecutors bodies, including the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR), which has been blamed for attacks on Jewish targets in the UK, according to The Guardian. TASS also reported the separate designation of Ashab al-Yamın, described as the same group under a different name.
• The UK’s new law also includes proxies and volunteers of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, as reported by The Hindu and The Guardian.
• The government justified the IRGC proscription by pointing to a number of threats on UK soil, including a plot to assassinate two Iran International television journalists and cyber-attacks, according to The Guardian.
• The move overturns the earlier refusal by the Conservatives to ban the organisation, says The Guardian.
• Any person found supporting or assisting the designated groups will face up to 14 years in prison, as stated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and reported by The Hindu.
• The new legislation was introduced to Parliament this week and aims to counter state threats including espionage, foreign interference, sabotage, and physical attacks, according to the Home Office statement carried by The Hindu.

Perspectives

The United Kingdom government (Home Office) maintains that the designations are necessary to protect the safety and interests of the United Kingdom. The Home Office its Home Secretary said that after considering all evidence, there is “sufficient basis to reasonably believe that each of these bodies is engaged in foreign power threat activity.” The government further framed the move as a step to “counter state threats linked to foreign powers,” which includes espionage, foreign interference, sabotage, and physical attacks.

The Government of Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the British decision, calling it “unjustified, irresponsible and contrary to the fundamental principles and rules of international law.” The Ministry’s statement, quoted by The Hindu, was part of the official response to the British plan.