LONDON — In a major escalation of diplomatic tensions with Tehran, the UK government has announced it will list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. The Home Office confirmed on Monday that it will ban all support for the central branch of the Iranian military, making any form of backing a criminal offence.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that a thorough evidentiary review concluded the designation is necessary to protect the safety and interests of the United Kingdom against foreign power threat activities. The decision follows a series of hostile threats on British soil, including cyber-attacks and a thwarted plot to assassinate two journalists working for the London-based Iran International television network.
Alongside the IRGC, the government is outlawing the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) and the Russian Federation Volunteer Corps (GRU). The move marks a definitive policy shift from the previous administration.
