Keir Starmer has been told to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) amid claims that “ineffective” sanctions levelled against the organisation are “riddled with loopholes”.
A cross-party group of more than 40 MPs, peers and other public figures has written to the Prime Minister to call for the Iranian state linked IRGC to now be branded a terrorist entity.
The letter was organised by the Henry Jackson Society, who cited the fact that “since January 2022, there have been 20 credible threats against British citizens and UK-based individuals, all linked to Iran and the IRGC.”
The group also noted the IRGC’s support for Iran’s proxy groups Hamas and Hezbollah, which are already proscribed in the UK.
“Beyond its activities in the Middle East, the IRGC has been implicated in cyber-attacks, assassination plots, and covert operations targeting dissidents and civilians in Europe and North America,” they say.
“Since January 2022, there have been 20 credible threats against British citizens and UK-based individuals, all linked to Iran and the IRGC.
“By proscribing the IRGC, not only would its resources be subject to seizure, but public support for the group would be criminalised. This step is especially critical as public displays glorifying dangerous organisations have increasingly surfaced on the streets of London in recent months.”
Labour MPs and peers were among the signatories, as is Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6.
Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham, said: “I have signed the call for the IRGC to be proscribed as they are a significant terror threat to UK interests and allies in the Middle East … potentially even here in the UK.
“Proscribing the IRGC is something Labour called for in opposition. I want to see action on this now that we are in government.”Other Labour signatories include Dame Siobhain McDonagh, the veteran MP, and Damien Egan, a newly elected MP.
Signatories also include shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
During their 14 years in government that Tory leadership resisted calls to proscribe the IRGC.
Some in the foreign office argue it would be wise to keep some channels of diplomatic dialogue with Iran open.
Labour are believed to be looking at bringing in new legislation around the proscription of state actors such as the IRGC, with experts pointing at it is far more difficult under current laws to effectively proscribe an organisation that differs from terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
In the party manifesto head of the Jily election it stated:”Labour will take the approach used for dealing with non-state terrorism and adapt it to deal with state-based domestic security threats.”
