UK Declares Iran's Revolutionary Guards a Terrorist Organization Over Threats on British Soil

The UK government announced on Monday its decision to officially ban the activities of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) within its territory. This move follows confirmed intelligence of the IRGC's extensive operations in the UK, including direct threats to human lives and intimidation attempts on British soil, as reported by Sky News.

British officials emphasized that the identification of these threatening Iranian activities necessitated strong measures, culminating in outlawing the IRGC. Last year, former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced growing pressure from 550 cross-party lawmakers who urged him in a letter to designate the IRGC as a terrorist group. This call came after British police arrested three Iranians accused of acting under instructions from Iran's intelligence agency to surveil opposition journalists.

Bob Blackman, a Member of Parliament who supported the letter, noted that the US had rightly classified the IRGC as a terrorist organization years ago. He argued that with the Iranian regime weaker than ever, the UK must set aside political and diplomatic concerns. While the UK had previously imposed sanctions on individual IRGC members and entities, this is the first time the organization itself has been officially labeled as terrorist. The letter warned that appeasing the unstable regime would betray democratic values and undermine global security amid Tehran's ongoing nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism.