Downing Street ‘welcomes’ EU move to add Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to terrorist list
UK urged to follow EU lead and proscribe Iran's most powerful state force
No.10 has said it “welcomes” the European Union’s move to add Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its terrorist list, following Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protesters in recent weeks.
Senior EU diplomat Kaja Kallas announced that EU foreign ministers had taken the “decisive step” because “repression cannot go unanswered.”
The IRGC—Tehran’s most powerful force—will now be treated on the same level as jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS within the EU.
Responding to the EU’s decision, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “We welcome today’s announcement by the EU, which will further hold the Iranian authorities to account for the violence and brutality shown against peaceful protesters.”
When asked if the UK would follow suit in proscribing the IRGC, the spokesperson added: “It’s a longstanding practice under successive governments that we don’t speculate about individual sanctions targets or issues related to proscription.” They also noted: “Under this government, you’ve seen 220 sanctions brought against individuals in the Iranian regime. We’ve been clear about our intention to bring forward further sanctions.”
Home Office sources say the new legislation is still being worked on.
Last May, then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper referenced a review by Jonathan Hall KC, the Government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, which recommended changes to proscription laws to address “state threats” such as the IRGC. Hall’s review identified “gaps in a series of areas, including on proscribing legislation, where he identifies a series of legal difficulties in using powers that were designed to deal with terrorist groups for state and state-backed organisations, such as the IRGC.”
Calls to ban the IRGC have been regularly raised under both the previous Conservative government and the current one, though some argue against it to preserve diplomatic back channels with Tehran.
Australia, Canada, and the US have already classified the IRGC as a terror group, but it has yet to be proscribed in the UK.
On Wednesday, UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy condemned Iran’s “brutal oppression of peaceful protesters” but reiterated the government’s longstanding policy “not to comment on whether a specific organisation is being considered for proscription.”
EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Thursday to respond to Iran’s crackdown, adopting new sanctions against those involved in the violence and moving to add the IRGC to its terrorist organisations list.
“This will put them on the same footing with al-Qaeda, Hamas, Daesh [ISIS],” said Kaja Kallas. “If you act as a terrorist, you should also be treated as a terrorist.”
The IRGC was set up shortly after the 1979 revolution to defend the country’s Islamic system. It is estimated to have about 190,000 active personnel, with capabilities across land, air and sea, as well as overseeing Iran’s strategic weapons.
Communal organisations have joined Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem Friends of Israel groups in this country in calling for proscription of the IRGC.
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