Board’s acting president welcomes new government powers targeting IRGC

The government’s National Security (State Threats) Bill will hand sweeping new powers to the Home Secretary, enabling the government to target foreign state-linked threats—including Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—without directly banning the group in the legislation itself.

While the Bill does not directly ban the IRGC or any other group, it provides the Home Secretary with robust powers to designate hostile organisations and impose criminal penalties on those who support or aid them.

Labour Home Office minister Lord David Flint, introducing the Bill in the House of Lords, said: “This legislation is designed to give the government the tools it needs to meet modern threats. The power to designate organisations such as the IRGC is both robust and proportionate, allowing us to act swiftly and decisively when national security is at stake.”

A draft of the Bill, introduced into parliament this week, explains how  an organisation is designated under the new powers, a series of criminal offences come into effect.

The legislation outlines severe penalties, including the possibility of up to 14 years’ imprisonment for those convicted of relevant offences.

Individuals and entities found to be working with, supporting, or aiding the designated body would face prosecution.

The aim is to “disrupt and deter” hostile activities, as well as starve such organisations of funds and operational support within the UK.

In the Lords on Thursday, there was broad cross-party support for the Bill, and general agreement that it marks a significant step in the UK’s strategy to counter foreign state threats.

Communal leaders have long called for successive Conservative and Labour governments to act on the threat posed by the IRGC to the community from Tehran, and its proxy organisations.

The recent surge in terror and arson attacks in the UK at synagogues and other Jewish buildings has only heightened calls for action.

But it has emerged that a major reason for the delay was the widely held view by law enforcers and terrorism experts that organisations like the IRGC, which is clearly liked to the Iranian state itself, where different to organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah that had been proscribed under existing legislation.

Acting Board of Deputies president Adrian Cohen was among communal leaders to welcome the government’s move to tackle the threat posed by the IRGC and other actors for the Iranian regime.

He said:”We welcome the Government’s introduction of legislation to provide new powers to tackle state backed threats, enabling the Government to take action against Iranian Regime actors, including the IRGC.

“We also welcome the Government  joining an international statement condemning the plotting of the IRGC and other Iranian agencies against international targets including Jewish communities, and condemning the attacks against Jews claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI).

“In the wake of recent attacks on Jewish communities in the UK we called on the Government to act urgently to Protect British Jews from those who wish us harm, Prosecute those inciting against us, and Partner with us and wider society to tackle hatred and extremism.

“Introducing this legislation is an important step, and we will continue to press government to ensure it is swiftly enacted and put to use.”

Jewish News understands that, following the introduction of the Bill in Parliament, the Home Office has written to MPs and peers to clarify how the new measures will work.

The letter states that new powers to disrupt and deter the activities of state and state-linked entities, and those acting for them, are required.

It highlights recommendations made by Jonathan Hall KC, the government’s independent adviser on state threats legislation.

The letter makes clear: “Mr Hall rejected the term ‘proscription’. As a matter of international law, we can’t ban the existence of a foreign state entity. But we can make it impossible for people to advance their malign interests in the UK. That is exactly what this Bill does.”

The Home Office letter also explains why the current terrorism proscription regime was not appropriate for targeting state entities such as the IRGC, and confirms that the new Bill will instead give the Home Secretary powers to designate bodies suspected of threatening national security.

It states: “The safety and security of the people of this nation is, and will always be, this government’s highest priority and therefore it is important that these powers are on the statute book as soon as possible.”

Lord Flint told peers on Thursday: “We want to get this done so that the power is therefore the Secretary of State to make judgments on any state threat that we face, and to take action which, if agreed by both houses, will result in potential sentences of 14 years’ imprisonment for anybody convicted.”

He emphasised that the legislation itself gives the Secretary of State the power to designate organisations, and that any resulting criminal charges and penalties would only apply once a group has been formally designated with parliamentary approval.

Tory peer Lord Davies confirmed, “I can confirm that as much as his opposition will work with the government to ensure that the bill can progress swiftly.”

Davies raised a concern that the Bill did not criminalise membership of a designated group.

Unlike the Terrorism Act 2000, which criminalises membership of proscribed terrorist groups, the new Bill does not make it a crime simply to be a member of a designated group.

This approach followed recommendations by independent legal reviewers, and reflected international law considerations.

Instead, the focus is on targeting harmful activities, support, and collaboration with designated organisations.

During the Lords question, Conservative peer Lord Bellingham pressed the minister on whether the Bill would also apply to Iranian-linked proxies such as Harakat Ashab al-Islamia.

Lord Flint responded that the government condemns antisemitism and that the new powers will allow the Secretary of State to assess and designate any organisation deemed a threat, not limited to the IRGC.

Liberal Democrat Lord Purvis raised concerns about commercial links and complex financial routes used by hostile state actors.

Lord Flint assured that the government will make all necessary assessments as soon as the legislation is passed, underlining the seriousness with which ministers view the issue.

Conservative peer Lord Polak, himself sanctioned by the IRGC, welcomed the Bill, but called for the legislation to address the funding of hostile organisations through UK-based charities.

Lord Flint pointed to existing sanctions and the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which covers the whole of Iran, and stressed that the Bill would give the Secretary of State an additional power to tackle any state threat once passed.

The Bill’s design allows the Home Secretary to act swiftly against emerging threats, not just from the IRGC but also from other state-linked proxies or commercial entities involved in hostile actions.

The government has already sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety and over 550 Iranian individuals and organisations, but the new powers would further enhance the UK’s ability to react to evolving security risks.

The government now hope that a smooth passage through both houses of parliament will allow the Bill to be passed early next month.