The UK government has announced a ban on support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), introducing tougher national security measures aimed at tackling foreign-backed threats and hostile activities on British soil.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the IRGC has been formally designated a threat to the UK’s national security under new powers contained in the National Security (State Threats) Act.
Under the new rules, anyone found supporting the IRGC whether by promoting the group, providing assistance or engaging in activities linked to it could face up to 14 years in prison.
The government also designated two other organisations as security threats: the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR) and the volunteer corps linked to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.
The measures are designed to strengthen the ability of police and intelligence agencies to investigate and prosecute offences related to espionage, sabotage, foreign interference and politically motivated violence.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government would not allow foreign states to threaten public safety or undermine national security.
“We will never let Britain be a playground for states that want to spread fear, division and violence on our streets,” he said.
If Parliament approves the regulations, individuals carrying out acts such as sabotage or arson on behalf of the banned organisations could face life imprisonment. The changes will also make it easier for prosecutors to secure convictions by removing the requirement to prove a direct foreign-state connection in every case.
Mahmood accused Iran and Russia of using proxy groups to carry out hostile activities in the UK, stressing that those involved would be identified and prosecuted.
Security officials say the IRGC has been linked to several plots targeting Jewish and Israeli-linked locations across Britain. Authorities believe the group directed multiple attacks over the past year, including an antisemitic arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in London’s Golders Green district.
According to MI5, at least 20 potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots targeting individuals in the UK were uncovered in the past year.
Established after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC has grown into one of the country’s most powerful military and intelligence organisations. It has long been accused by Western governments of supporting militant groups and conducting operations beyond Iran’s borders.
The latest measures reflect Britain’s broader efforts to strengthen national security and counter growing threats from hostile foreign states and their proxy organisations.
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