The Urgent Need for Starmer to Keep His Promise on Iran's Revolutionary Guard

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The October 7 attacks last year, where Hamas terrorists brutally murdered over 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 more, shocked the world. For many in the UK, the event might seem distant, but the reality is that the threat posed by Hamas, backed by Iran, is much closer to home. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with its £5 billion budget, is not only a menace in the Middle East but also in the UK. Iran seeks to destabilize the West, and the IRGC plays a significant role in advancing these goals.

 

The Iranian regime, with its leadership regularly referring to the UK as "Little Satan" in comparison to the U.S., has made it clear that they wish to undermine British values and society. Iranian agents, with their connections to the IRGC, are actively involved in spreading division within British communities. The IRGC, responsible for global terrorism, has supported groups that intimidate Jewish people and others in the UK, making it essential for the British government to take decisive action.

 

Iran is not just a local threat in the Middle East. The Houthis, backed by Iran, are attacking ships near the Suez Canal, vital for global trade, including Britain’s access to goods. More recently, Iran supplied 200 ballistic missiles to Russia, furthering Russia's war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia is suspected of sharing nuclear knowledge with Iran, a regime openly calling for the destruction of Israel.

 

The situation is made worse by China’s involvement, as it purchases large amounts of Iranian oil and provides economic backing to both Iran and Russia. China’s growing global influence and its economic maneuvers threaten democratic values around the world. Its strategy of indebting smaller nations and taking control of strategic assets, such as ports, poses a danger to global security.

 

Keir Starmer, as the newly elected Prime Minister, has been faced with these immense global challenges. However, his early actions have raised concerns. Despite warnings from MI5 about the scale of Chinese espionage, his government has not labeled China a security threat. Labour’s talk of potentially handing over the Chagos Islands, a key strategic asset in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius—a nation heavily influenced by China—adds to these worries. Reversing protections for free speech in universities and delaying defense spending increases are further signs of a troubling approach.

 

On Iran, Starmer's government has been indecisive. In opposition, Labour promised repeatedly to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, with prominent figures like David Lammy affirming this stance. But now, they claim that climate change is a bigger threat than terrorism. To argue this to the victims of terrorism would be a hard sell.

 

Instead of spending £11 billion on overseas climate aid, the government should focus on strengthening the military and boosting defense spending. As a former minister, I argued strongly for the proscription of the IRGC, alongside others like Sir Iain Duncan Smith. Unfortunately, internal opposition and Foreign Office resistance meant that these moves were blocked. But now Labour must follow through on its promise to proscribe the IRGC, for the sake of national security.

 

In the UK, the IRGC has been linked to groups that promote division, radicalize communities, and intimidate people, including journalists. British security services have thwarted 15 assassination plots by Iran against UK residents in the last year. Banning the IRGC would give UK authorities the power to crack down on those affiliated with this terrorist organization, ensuring the safety of British citizens.

 

Proscribing the IRGC is essential. It would send a clear message that Iran’s actions, both in the UK and globally, are unacceptable. The UK cannot afford to be passive. A failure to confront Iran now will only lead to greater challenges in the future, as history has repeatedly shown. The time for action is now.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-20