Britain Expands Sanctions Against the Islamic Republic Without Designating the IRGC as 'Terrorist'

James Cleverly, the UK Foreign Secretary, told Parliament on Thursday that London is considering new legal powers to sanction Iran after at least 15 instances of 'credible threats' from the Islamic Republic to kill or kidnap individuals in the UK. However, Britain rejected calls to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. According to The Guardian, the UK has decided to expand the criteria for imposing sanctions, which means that companies and supporters of the IRGC may be sanctioned. Under this new sanctions regime, for the first time, the UK could sanction individuals for actions taken within the UK, not just within Iran. Cleverly stated in Parliament, 'What we have seen in the last 18 months is an unprecedented level of Iranian aggression against people here in the UK to try to silence dissenting voices. Now, the Home Office and the security service are responsible for protecting people here in the UK.' He said that the UK is taking actions to support the people of Britain and prevent 'Iran's behavior against people' in the UK. He noted that the aim of the additional sanctions is to serve as a deterrent against these actions of the Islamic Republic. The IRGC, the Basij Resistance Force, and the Guidance Patrol, along with Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij, have previously been sanctioned. However, banning these organizations by the UK would criminalize membership in them, financial support, or expressing support for them, and since the IRGC plays a central role in the military structure of the Islamic Republic, effectively recognizing the IRGC as a terrorist organization would classify the entire Islamic Republic as a terrorist entity. According to The Guardian, the UK Foreign Office was also concerned that such a label could likely lead to the expulsion of the British ambassador from Tehran. The Foreign Office also knew that the European Union was unlikely to take a similar step. Meanwhile, James Cleverly, in response to a Sky News question about how concerned he is about the killing of Iranian dissidents in the UK, said, 'We value freedom of speech in the UK, we value press freedom, and we are willing to defend these. We will always remain vigilant.' Mr. Cleverly also stated in the announcement of the UK's new action to expand the criteria for sanctions, 'The Iranian regime represses its people, exports bloodshed to Ukraine and the Middle East, and threatens to kill and kidnap on British soil.' According to The Standard, he said today's actions by the UK send a clear message to the 'regime' of the Islamic Republic that such behavior will not be tolerated. The new framework for sanctions aims to punish those who use or proliferate Iranian weapons or technologies, or who undermine democracy and respect for the rule of law in the Middle East and internationally, in line with the Islamic Republic's efforts. The UK Foreign Secretary stated, 'Our new sanctions will help ensure that there is no hiding place for those who seek to harm us.' Regarding threats to people within the UK, Sky News reports that Iranian intelligence agencies have established close ties with organized crime gangs in the UK and across Europe to expand their networks' capabilities. On Thursday, the UK sanctioned 13 individuals and entities linked to the Islamic Republic for human rights violations against Iranians, including the right to freedom of expression and assembly. The new sanctions include travel bans to the UK, freezing the assets of those sanctioned, and prohibiting British trade with them.