The UK proscribed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, according to reports published on Monday. One report said the government used new powers to make the designation, while another said Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordered it over threats to life and intimidation on UK soil.[1][2]

The move would make the IRGC the first state agency to be classified by the UK as a terrorist organisation, according to the Sky News-linked report. That report also said the designation had previously been ruled out by a government that wanted to preserve diplomatic relations with Iran.[1]

What the designation means

The same report said the IRGC was already proscribed by the United States in 2019, making it the first official body to be designated there. It added that Iran responded by proscribing America’s military after the U.S. move.[1]

What is clear, and what is not

The two reports agree on the central event: the UK has proscribed the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. They differ on the framing of how the decision was announced and on the stated rationale, with one emphasizing a Sky News report and the other attributing the order directly to Starmer.[1][2]

Evidence ledger

What is confirmed

  • The UK proscribed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.[1][2]

What remains disputed or unverified

  • One report says the designation was announced by Sky News on Monday and would make the IRGC the first state agency classified as a terrorist organisation by the UK.[1]
  • One report says Keir Starmer ordered the proscription over threats to life and intimidation on UK soil.[2]
Version and update history
  1. Version 1 · — Initial source-grounded generation