New laws to tackle Iran’s IRGC cleared by the House of Lords

New legislation set up to ban hostile state-backed groups including Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has moved closer to becoming law after clearing the House of Lords.

Peers nodded through the National Security (State Threats) Bill on Tuesday night after it passed the report and committee stage in the upper chamber.

The Government had accepted amendments earlier in the day which would give protections to humanitarian groups and bodies, amid fears the new legislation could “criminalise” charities.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Northover, a former international development minister, had said: “No one, including the Government, wishes to prevent bona fide humanitarian organisations working within international humanitarian law to be prevented from doing their work, whether that’s clearing mines, working on conflict resolution, or getting aid to vulnerable people, or blocking journalists from digging deep to do their work.

“The dilemma of engaging with those with whom we otherwise might wish to designate or proscribe is clear to the Government, hence the defence for diplomatic engagement … but whereas diplomatic protection is on the face of the Bill, humanitarian work so far was not.”

Lady Northover said some charities and aid agencies in Yemen have “abandoned” communities because of working with groups that had been blacklisted by the US government.

She added: “We are seeking to work together so that we can better protect the UK and its citizens, while at the same time not criminalising those extremely brave humanitarian organisations which may find themselves needing to deal with some of the most brutal people in the world as they seek to help the most vulnerable.”

The emergency legislation was put forward to tackle groups such as the IRGC, after a spate of attacks on Jewish communities in London, which are thought to be linked to Iran.

Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint said the Bill had been fast-tracked after cross-party calls for action to be taken.

He said: “The Home Secretary will take urgent action examining the state threats, and if necessary bring forward appropriate measures as soon as possible.”

He added: “I hope at the end of the day we are agreed as one that the Bill will be a useful tool for the secretary of state to help protect this country and its citizens from state threats.”

The Government saw off a challenge by opposition peers to ban the wearing of any uniforms or carrying images related to proscribed organisations.

Lord Hanson had argued that the amendment put forward by Conservative shadow minister Lord Davies of Gower was not appropriate for the Bill.

The amended Bill will now be debated by MPs next week.