Exiled Iranian prince urges UK government to ‘understand’ need for ban of terror group

Proscribing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would have the effect of “pulling out the biggest tooth the regime has” Tehran’s exiled crown prince has claimed.

Reza Pahlavi – the son and heir to the last Shah of Iran – has been living in exile since his father was deposed in 1979.

In an interview withThe Sunday Telegraph during a trip to London, he urged the UK government to “understand” the impact a full ban of the IRGC would have domestically in Iran.

He said:”It will send a strong message to the regime but at the same time to those who are still part of that organisation to say, maybe it’s time for us to bail out.

“Because as long as we are stigmatised by being associated with it, our fate is sealed.

“In other words, you’re pulling the biggest tooth that the regime has out, you’re weakening it. And weakening the regime has a direct diametric effect of strengthening the people.

“You simply are paralysing them as much as you can, limiting their capabilities while sending a very strong message to the nation and to the regime that we’re not going to take this any longer.”

There are claims that Whitehall is divided over the impact of proscribing the IRGC.

Proscription would make it a criminal offence to belong to the IRGC, attend its meetings, carry its logo in public or encourage support of its activities.

The IRGC was founded as an ideological custodian of Iran’s 1979 revolution but has since morphed into a major military, political and economic force in the country.

It is claimed foreign secretary James Cleverly is among those who believe proscribing the group could impact negatively on British interests.

Meanwhile security officials have shared their own intelligence on the IRGC with home office officials.

Pahlavialso spoke of the shift in opinion over whether it was possible to achieve reforms in the current Tehran regime.

He said:”A whole nation now calls ‘death to the dictator’ meaning an end to the regime.

“Before that you weren’t hearing more grievances about the lack of reform.”