August 8, 2023 - 1:00pm
In January, I reported on the growing alarm within the UK Government at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). That month, the UK placed sanctions on Iranian officials after the regime executed dual British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, with the House of Commons then passing a motion calling on the UK Government to finally proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. The vote passed unanimously in favour, though it’s not binding.
Since then, progress on this issue seems to have consisted mostly of internal Government infighting over the implementation of any actual policy. The group remains firmly off the terror organisation list, and we now have something of a standoff between Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. The former is advocating for rapid proscription and fears a threat to British citizens, especially leading Jewish figures. Cleverly, however, sees such a move as counterproductive.
That the IRGC is a clear and immediate danger seems obvious. In 2022, MI5 acknowledged a real threat from Iran’s “aggressive intelligence services” to kidnap or kill people based in the UK. In 2019, the United States designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation, prompting the UK to consider doing the same.
The Foreign Office has thus far opted for expanding sanctions on Iran — specifically giving the UK increased powers to target the country’s key decision-makers — but is reluctant to impose full proscription. At the same time, the FCDO is frustrated at the insinuation from some quarters that it is somehow “soft” on Iran. The charge is indeed unfair: I have dealt with those responsible for the Iran file over many years and know them to be some of our most impressive Government experts. They have no illusions whatsoever about the Islamic Republic, let alone the IRGC.
On one level, this is a perennial debate between those concerned with security and those responsible for British diplomacy. Iran is already difficult enough to deal with, and we do have to deal with the country if we want to contain its nuclear threat — which, trust me on this, we really, really need to do. If one sanctions a group that is part of the Iranian state, how does one then negotiate with that state?
Set against this is the fact that the IRGC is unquestionably a terrorist organisation. It is responsible not only for mass murder across the Middle East, but also atrocities against Jewish targets in South America. It differs only from other proscribed groups in the United Kingdom, including its partner Hezbollah, in size and scope.
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
SubscribeThe ONLY thing extremist Islamist understand is force. They are happy to use it and equally happy that we are so reluctant. Sadly, we will have to confront Iran with force one day, destroy their pirate boats; expel members of INGC; and drive their proxies out of Mediterranean lands. The sooner we make it clear that we are prepared to annihilate them, the less they will be able to harm us in return.
No, I am not a lover of war and would love world peace as much as any pageant entrant, but a short-sighted search for an impossible reconciliation between radically-opposed world views only leads to greater suffering for everyone. “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.”
You sound like a war monger to me
You sound like a war monger to me
The ONLY thing extremist Islamist understand is force. They are happy to use it and equally happy that we are so reluctant. Sadly, we will have to confront Iran with force one day, destroy their pirate boats; expel members of INGC; and drive their proxies out of Mediterranean lands. The sooner we make it clear that we are prepared to annihilate them, the less they will be able to harm us in return.
No, I am not a lover of war and would love world peace as much as any pageant entrant, but a short-sighted search for an impossible reconciliation between radically-opposed world views only leads to greater suffering for everyone. “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.”
Will proscription have any real world impact or is it just “sending a message”?
Consistently the worst writer on UnHerd.
Consistently the worst writer on UnHerd.
If Israel wants war with Iran, lots of luck
Stop trying to get the goyim to fight your wars
One should expect such comments to become the norm on UnHerd now that it’s inviting Grayzone “journalists” to contribute content.
If Israel actually got a war against Iran and Iran was crushed by western powers (i.e. the Great Satan, America), how would Israel justify the billions of dollars it gets from American taxpayers every year?
One should expect such comments to become the norm on UnHerd now that it’s inviting Grayzone “journalists” to contribute content.
If Israel actually got a war against Iran and Iran was crushed by western powers (i.e. the Great Satan, America), how would Israel justify the billions of dollars it gets from American taxpayers every year?
If Israel wants war with Iran, lots of luck
Stop trying to get the goyim to fight your wars