UK Criminalizes IRGC Support Through New State Threat Law, Not Terrorism Act

Britain's Home Office designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under "foreign power threat activity" rules on 13 July 2026, routing the ban through novel state threats legislation rather than the Terrorism Act 2000. The distinction matters legally—different prosecution and defense pathways—but practically yields identical results: supporting the IRGC becomes criminal. The move addresses documented IRGC operations on British soil, including assassination plots and cyber-attacks. The designation signals intent to build separate enforcement for state actors versus non-state groups.