UK bans support for Iran's IRGC

[Twiglets1]

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be designated a threat to national security.

Mahmood will use new government powers to ban support for the group, which has been linked to death threats, attacks and intimidation in the UK.

In a written statement to Parliament, she set out how support for the IRGC, from expressing a positive opinion to assisting them, will now be an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Two other groups are also being proscribed, the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), and the volunteer corps of Russia's GRU (foreign military intelligence agency).

New powers will be given to police and intelligence agencies to tackle espionage, foreign interference, sabotage and physical attacks from these groups.

Iran's IRGC is believed to have directed seven attacks at UK locations linked to Jewish and Israeli communities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0jkj7e87go

It's not even clear the pensioners were singing about a banned group - all @dwordle said was that they were waving Palestinian flags and singing songs.

Depends on the songs maybe, gettting into dodgy territory if the old dears were chanting Globalise the Intifada or Death to the US, Death to Israel!

The description of "middle aged pensioners" did confuse me too @KeeperOfTheSevenKeys seeing as the state pension age is 67.

I’m not expert to have an opinion but the traditional arguments against proscribing IRGC (which this is similar to) are about keeping diplomatic channels open and avoiding retaliation against Brits/dual nationals in Iran.

I don’t think any of us are experts @GeneralPeter your opinions are as valid as anyone else’s.

I do understand the argument traditionally used. It clearly wasn’t an easy decision for the UK government to make but there has been an increase in IRGC sponsored criminal activity in the UK which is probably why they finally feel they need to take action to ban support for this organisation.

No it's more about how you prescribe dangerous groups and what that actually means in context with modern anti terror legislation. What support actually means and how that relates to the legislation

Under the current law those people could have been arrested and locked up for 14 years. Going forward let us say we prescribe Green Peace as a terrorist group, this sort of thing is already happening in America. Or how about socialist worker party or the green party....in the end it could be anyone you don't want to have free speech.

Don't let freedom drip away because you don't hold they key to the padlock

It's not about free speech, it's about the fact that the IRGC have directed at least 7 attacks in the UK.

I'm pleased that a group which organised violent attacks against British citizens to spread terror has finally been banned.

They have done nothing but cause pain and suffering in Iran and around the world. Anyone that thinks supporting such an organisation will result in peace, is deluding themselves.

It is about free speech really. sort of (potentially) There are already laws against plotting attacks.

Edit. scored out really, and replaced with"sort of (potentially)"

Yes and I‘m glad it’ll end most of the support online.

No it isn’t. People can still show support for Palestinians without supporting groups that sponsor violence in the UK like Palestine Action or the IRGC.

Yes and there are laws against supporting those who plot attacks.

Time to proscribe The Green Party

Haha not quite. Though it's true to say they have embarrassed themselves over the IRGC.

Wanting to lift sanctions and have a closer/more supportive relationship on an organisation believed to have directed 7 attacks at UK locations linked to Jewish and Israeli communities. And another 19/20 attacks linked to Iranian dissidents.

So what about the support for the IDF, arrest warrant has been issued for Netanyahu....do we prescribe them. Or ICE who shot a parent in front of his children. What about America who now acts like a pirate charging 20% on all the trade that passes through the strait which indirectly will inflate many things by 20%. This alone will plunge even more into poverty.

When the UK chose to participate in an illegal war against Iran by allowing the US to use British air space who became party to the conflict. We are now a target. We could have stayed neutral like Spain.

Personally I think we should do more to help the Ukrainians push Putin out of the Ukraine and stay completely neutral in Iran other than broker peace. Regime change looks completely out of reach making another enemy right now feels like stupidity and a step closer to world war 3.

No one is suggesting we fund Iran or any other country that doesn't share our values. But we need peace and we need that strait open for trade. 2.20 trillion dollars this has cost the global economy....that should scare you because what comes next is going to be very unpleasant for a lot of people.

We elect politicians to make our lives better not ruin our prosperity for generations to come

Irrespective of your opinions on the rights and wrongs of any of those listed, as far as I'm aware none of them have attacked British citizens on British soil (the reason the IRGC has been proscribed)?

I wonder how Iran will react to this news

They’re not happy, calling the move unjustified and irresponsible.

Still, if the IRGC approves of what you’re doing you’ve probably doing it wrong.

So basically we can't travel to Iran now because you'll be an acceptable target. By the time this is all over it won't be safe to travel to any where if you're British or American

It's hardly safe for British people to travel to Iran anyway is it?

A British couple jailed in Iran on espionage charges have lost an appeal against their 10-year sentence, according to their family.

Lindsay and Craig Foreman were arrested in January 2025 while passing through Iran on a round-the-world motorcycle trip.

They were accused of spying - charges they adamantly deny - and were sentenced in February. Both are currently on hunger strike in Tehran's Evin prison.

A member of their legal team in the UK told the BBC no reason was given for the rejection of their appeal. Lindsay's son, Joe Bennett, said they were "not permitted to attend their own appeal hearing".

He added: "It is a serious human rights violation, and it is one more reason why two British citizens, with no other options left, are now starving themselves in protest."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrpwxe82ypo

If you will get prison for expressing a positive opinion about the IRGC they'll need a whole prion just for Mumsnet posters!

Oh no, they are always very keen to emphasise that they don't actively express positive opinions about the IRGC.

They just never condemn anything they do - be it murdering their own civilians, funding proxy groups like Hamas or Hezbollah or bombing ships in the Strait of Hormuz during a supposed interim peace deal.

While very vocally condemning the US and Israel on an almost daily basis, they just forget to also condemn the IRGC I'm sure.

I've travelled through Iran about 15 times with no issues, it's a beautiful country and people are generous and welcoming.

The only time I've had a problem was crossing from Tunisia to Algeria. In brief I had to pay a bribe to an official to walk free....but still came out unscathed and travelled through Algeria, Libya and Tunisia with no other issues.

I've even taken my youngest daughter to Iran ...no issues. But all these countries there are plenty of corrupt officials with no real appeal routes, so I suppose if you are unlucky then you'll become a political pawn. But this isn't a reflection of Iranians that probably hate the officials as much as us.

Lindsay and Craig Foreman must have assumed they too could travel through Iran with no issues, they were wrong.

Were you somehow under the impression that until this week it was safe for British people to to visit Iran?

Of course they do hence the IRGC being proscribed. They use severe punishment and death for citizens there too.