Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood don announce say Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, wey dem dey call IRGC, go dey designated as threat to national security.
She go use new government powers to ban support for di group, wey don dey linked to death threats, attacks and intimidation for UK.
For written statement to Parliament, she set out how support for IRGC, from expressing positive opinion to assisting dem, go now be offence punishable by up to 14 years prison.
Two oda groups dey also proscribed: di Islamic Movement of Companions of di Right, wey dem dey call IMCR, and di volunteer corps of Russia GRU, wey be foreign military intelligence agency.
New powers go dey give to police and intelligence agencies to tackle espionage, foreign interference, sabotage and physical attacks from dese groups.
Iran IRGC believed don direct seven attacks for UK locations wey link to Jewish and Israeli communities, including antisemitic arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances for Golders Green on March 23, wey IMCR publicly claim responsibility for.
Di prime minister promise to fast-track di National Security Act for April dis year, and draft regulations for proscription fit now lay before parliament.
Announcing di new powers, Sir Keir Starmer say: “We will never let Britain be a playground for states wey want to spread fear, division and violence on our streets.”
He add: “We don already take tough action against di Iranian regime and those wey link to am, and against Russian operatives and networks wey target our country.”
“Dese new powers go make am easier to prosecute and lock up anybody wey dey carry out dia dirty work here for Britain.”
If Parliament approve later dis week, those wey dey conduct acts of sabotage including arson on behalf of dese groups fit face life imprisonment.
Di change mean prosecutors no go need to establish foreign power connection for every case again, making am easier and more straightforward to build cases.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood tok: “Iran and Russia dey use proxies and tugs to do dia dirty work on our shores.”
“I don rapidly designate three groups so those wey dey work for dem go dey tracked down and put behind bars.”
MI5 identify at least 20 potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots against people for UK for di last year, and di IRGC dey central to Iranian state operations, wey particularly target di Jewish community and Iranian dissidents.
Di IRGC dem set up after di 1979 revolution to defend di country new Islamic system, but since don become powerful arm of di state with reach beyond Iran borders and an estimated 190,000 active personnel.
Di militia don consistently dey accused by Western nations of sponsoring terrorism abroad, and don dey listed as terror group by Australia, Canada and di US.
For January dis year, di European Union also add di IRGC to dia terror list, following dia reported role for brutal crackdowns on Iranian protesters for Iran di same month.
Di UK don lag behind but now argue say new powers dey required for face of rise for state-backed aggression – increasing for scope and complexity with more threats to life and increased use of proxy groups.
For written statement, Home Office minister Angela Eagle say: “Di Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps na central component of di Iranian state security apparatus, wey answerable directly to Iran Supreme Leader.”
“Its role extend far beyond dat of conventional military force. E encompass intelligence activity, di use of proxy actors, and di projection of influence wey design to advance Iranian state objectives.”
