![People gather near Baghdad International Airport to commemorate the second anniversaries of the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and the vice president of the Hashd al-Shaabi group Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, on January 01, 2022 in Bahgdad, Iraq [Murtadha Al-Sudani - Anadolu Agency]](jpg/20220101_2_51557385_72164628c032.jpg)
The UK government is divided over designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorists, the Financial Times has reported. Disagreement between Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on labelling Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group is said to be causing tension within the government.
Braverman is increasingly alarmed by alleged plans of Iranian agents to target British citizens. However, Cleverly and officials at the Foreign Office are hesitant to classify the Revolutionary Guards as terrorists, fearing that such a move could be counterproductive.
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Labelling the armed force of another nation as terrorists is quite unusual for the UK, officials in the Foreign Office have argued. There are concerns that such a decision might lead to retaliatory actions by Tehran, potentially targeting UK-Iranian dual nationals in the country. This move could also complicate future diplomatic efforts aimed at reviving the dormant 2015 nuclear agreement that Iran had signed with world powers, including the UK.
In 2019, during the administration of former US President Donald Trump, the US designated the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation. At the beginning of the year, the UK initiated a review to consider following suit, and the European Union (EU) also indicated an interest in exploring this possibility.
Government insiders report that Cleverly is becoming frustrated with the growing public pressure exerted by Braverman on this matter. Recently, sources close to Braverman emphasised that the Iranian threat is causing the most concern, noting an increase in aggression and assertiveness from Iran.
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In February, Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, stated that the Iranian government was responsible for 15 credible threats to either harm or abduct British citizens or individuals based in the UK within just over a year.
While the decision to designate an entity as a terrorist organisation ultimately lies with the Home Secretary, resistance from the Foreign Office has effectively stalled this option.
A government spokesperson emphasised that the UK remains committed to taking strong action against Iran while it poses threats to people in the UK and worldwide. The UK has already imposed sanctions on more than 350 Iranian individuals and entities, including the entire Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
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