UK moves to designate Iran's IRGC as a terrorist organization
Britain said it will designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, using powers aimed at state-affiliated groups. The proscription makes it a criminal offense to belong to, support or raise funds for the force.
The step is significant because the IRGC is not a fringe militia but an arm of the Iranian state, with control over parts of the military, economy and foreign proxy operations. Designating a government body as terrorist is unusual and complicates diplomacy: it narrows the space for official contact with Tehran and could invite retaliation against British interests. The move follows years of debate in London, and it lands amid renewed confrontation between the United States and Iran, suggesting the UK is aligning more closely with a harder Western line rather than preserving channels for engagement.