Britain moves to outlaw Iran-linked groups under new state-threat powers

Britain has moved to target Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-linked organisation using new state-threat powers following a series of antisemitic incidents across the country.

The measures, announced on Monday by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, are designed to tackle organisations accused of carrying out or supporting hostile foreign state activity. If approved by Parliament, the designations would effectively outlaw support for the groups and give police and intelligence agencies additional powers to investigate and prosecute related activities.

“These new powers will make it easier to prosecute and lock up anyone carrying out their dirty work here in Britain,” Starmer said in a statement.

The organisations targeted

The IRGC, which is already subject to UK sanctions, is an elite military force established after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and operates under the authority of the country's Supreme Leader.

Britain also designated the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right, which authorities said had claimed responsibility for seven attacks linked to Jewish and Israeli communities, as well as Persian-language media outlets.

Among the incidents cited by the government was the arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on 23 March, which authorities described as antisemitic.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack", while counter-terrorism police investigated claims of responsibility made by the Iran-linked Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right.

British authorities have also pointed to a broader pattern of threats against Jewish, Israeli and Persian-language media targets amid warnings from MI5 and government officials about Iran-linked hostile activity on British soil.

Wider security measures

In addition to the Iran-linked groups, Britain designated Russia's GRU military intelligence agency under the same state-threat framework.

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The government said the new powers are intended to strengthen the UK's ability to counter foreign-state threats and protect communities from intimidation, violence and covert influence operations.

Parliament must now approve the designations before they can come into force. Once enacted, the measures would create new criminal offences related to supporting or assisting the designated organisations and expand the powers available to law enforcement agencies to disrupt their activities in Britain.

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