London, England – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to introduce an emergency bill to Parliament within weeks aimed at banning Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and designating it a terrorist organization.
The announcement came during a solidarity visit by Starmer to a London synagogue that was the target of an arson attack about a week ago, amid a rise in attacks targeting Jewish community centers in the UK.
Legislation to counter “malicious actors”
In comments to the Jewish Chronicle, Starmer affirmed that his government is working diligently to introduce the necessary legislation to take decisive action against malicious state actors.
He added, “We will begin a new parliamentary session in a few weeks, and we will bring this legislation forward as soon as possible,” emphasizing that the security of British citizens, particularly the Jewish community, is a top priority given the current regional tensions.
This British move is in line with the European Union’s decision last January to designate the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. It also came as a result of mounting domestic pressure, with Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey calling for emergency legislation, describing the Revolutionary Guard as “more desperate and dangerous than ever.”
Cross-border threats and targeting of the interior
Starmer expressed his “growing concern” about Iran’s use of proxies to carry out criminal and espionage activities within British territory.
Intelligence reports indicate that elements linked to the Revolutionary Guard have been involved in monitoring critical infrastructure and targeting journalists and dissidents. Furthermore, these elements have been gathering intelligence for future operations.
Since 2022, British authorities have identified more than 20 credible threats attributed to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Security Minister Dan Jarvis had previously warned Parliament of a long-standing Iranian pattern of targeting Jews and Israelis internationally. He noted that the regime in Tehran seeks to suppress criticism through intimidation and fear, whether through physical attacks or malicious cyberattacks.
Alert in London
Jewish communities in northwest London are on high alert following a series of deliberate attacks targeting places of worship. These attacks have intensified since the start of US-Israeli military operations against Iran last February.
Observers believe that legally banning the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would grant British security services broader powers to freeze assets and criminalize membership. Furthermore, the decision would allow for the severing of its funding channels within the United Kingdom.
