MPs Clash With Foreign Office Over Calls To Proscribe IRGC

Renewed calls from MPs across the political divide for Government to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) after Israel was attacked by Iranian missiles have been met with resistance from the Foreign Office, which has continued to prioritise a sanctions regime.

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight on Saturday, 99 per cent of which were intercepted, according to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). 

While Government has not ruled out proscribing the IRGC, its current policy of sanctioning Iran and the IRGC remains in place. In 2023 key financial backers of the IRGC were sanctioned, as well as two of its senior commanders operating in Tehran and Alborz. Trade restrictions on Iran’s drone programme also came into place in December, which impeded the country's ability to sell its drones abroad. 

The IRGC was introduced in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution as an opposition to Iran's military, but there has been concern that it has morphed into an economic and political power, and has strong ties with Iran's Supreme leader. Iran has historically held close ties with Palestinian territories and according to a 2019 US government analysis, Iran provides Hamas, which controls Gaza, and other Palestinian terrorist groups approximately $100 million every year. 

Those advocating for proscription of the IRGC, including a number of senior MPs and officials, are concerned that affiliates of the group are not currently under sufficient scrutiny. Anyone who is affiliated or works for a proscribed group can be handed a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

PoliticsHome understands ministers in Government are willing to defer responsibility for a decision on the IRGC's status to the FCDO, and are