UK designates Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization following antisemitic attacks

On July 13, 2026, the British government designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, and Russia's GRU Volunteer Corps as national security threats. The move follows a series of antisemitic attacks in London, including a March 23, 2026, arson attack on Jewish community ambulances. Under the new measures, individuals supporting these groups face up to 14 years in prison, while those committing sabotage face life imprisonment.

IRGC National Security Act designation

• ▪Security Minister Angela Eagle stated that members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force almost certainly directed proxy attacks across Europe
• ▪On July 13, 2026, the British government designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a national security threat
• ▪The British government designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under the United Kingdom's new National Security Act

IMCR antisemitic attacks in Britain

• ▪The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right claimed responsibility for a March 23, 2026, arson attack on Jewish community ambulances in London
• ▪The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right claimed responsibility for seven attacks targeting Jewish and Israeli communities in the United Kingdom
• ▪The United Kingdom government banned the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, an Iran-backed proxy group

IRGC proscription debate history

• ▪In March 2026, United Kingdom lawmakers tabled a cross-party motion in the House of Commons calling for the proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
• ▪In 2023, the United Kingdom government declined to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization to avoid diplomatic fallout

Russian GRU Volunteer Corps designation

• ▪The United Kingdom government accused Russia of using the GRU Volunteer Corps to conduct sabotage operations in the United Kingdom
• ▪The United Kingdom government designated the volunteer wing of Russia's GRU military intelligence service as a threat to national security

New criminal offences introduced

• ▪Individuals who conduct acts of sabotage on behalf of the designated groups could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment
• ▪Under the new designations, individuals supporting or assisting the designated groups could face up to 14 years in prison

Enforcement powers for prosecutions

• ▪The new designations grant United Kingdom law enforcement and intelligence agencies enhanced powers to prosecute individuals carrying out state-sponsored threats
• ▪The United Kingdom government announced more than £250 million in funding over three years to boost security protections for Jewish communities