Keir Starmer under pressure to class Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terror group
SIR Keir Starmer is under massive pressure from his own party to make good on his promise to class Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terror group.
The IRGC is the military force of the Mullahs in Tehran. They despise the West, want to wipe out Israel and are behind lethal attacks around the world.
Labour MPs and campaigners warned the “terror army” is a “clear and present danger” to Brits.
The PM’s team promised to proscribe the group while in Opposition, but has not said a word about this pledge since getting into No10.
The government is planning to announce more sanctions on Iran in Parliament this week – but is not using the statement to ban the IRGC.
Michael Rubin, director of Labour Friends of Israel, said: “Tehran’s terror army is not simply responsible for suppressing the people of Iran and spreading violence and bloodshed throughout the region, it also poses a clear and present danger to Britain’s security.
“It is seeking to propagate extremism and antisemitism, while plotting to murder the regime’s opponents on British soil.
“After years of Tory foot-dragging, we urge Labour to institute a ban as swiftly as possible.”
Mike Katz, chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said: “We’ve long advocated for action on the IRGC.
“Yvette Cooper and David Lammy set out a clear and convincing plan during the election for proscribing state-based terrorist groups, which they should put into place as soon as possible.
“The previous Government dithered on the IRGC. This can’t continue.
“Now more than ever, Labour need to match rhetoric on Iran with action and send the reassurance the Jewish community in particular wants to see by proscribing IRGC.”
Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham, said: “In Opposition Labour called for proscription of the IRGC.
“I am very strongly urging ministers to now act on this and ban this dangerous terrorist organisation which is a threat to British interests in the Middle East and potentially a security threat here in the UK.”
A Jewish community source added: “Labour repeatedly committed to this in opposition and it was in the manifesto.
“We now expect them to deliver it without delay.”
The IRGC is an extremist military force which imposes the will of Tehran’s theocratic regime.
It openly backs terrorists like Hamas and aims to wipe out Western influence in the Middle East.
The United States designated it a terror group in 2019, but so far Britain has refused to.
Speaking last year when Labour were in Opposition, now Home Secretary Yvette Cooper promised to proscribe the IRGC.
She said: “As part of the strategy, Labour will bring forward new changes to legislation to allow the government to ban hostile state-sponsored organisations who undermine our national security”.
“So instead of trying and failing to use counter-terror legislation to proscribe organisations like Wagner or IRGC, we will introduce a bespoke proscribing mechanism to address state-sponsored threats”.
A government spokesman said: “Iran’s destabilisation of the Middle East, their human rights violations, nuclear escalation, and its threats against people in the UK are abhorrent.
“We will not hesitate to take the most effective measures against the regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as we did on Monday, when announcing a fresh wave of sanctions against them.
“We are working at pace to identify further ways to deal with state threats including those from the IRGC.”