Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s Home Office has launched a crackdown on Iran (Image: Getty)
Iranian spies and criminals working for Tehran could be jailed for up to five years as fears intensify they are becoming “increasingly emboldened”.
Security minister Dan Jarvis said Iran, including the IRGC intelligence services and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, is being placed on the “enhanced tier” of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).
This means operatives will have to register – and face five years in jail if they refuse to do so.
Mr Jarvis also revealed a new proscription tool could be created to highlight the threat posed by state and state-linked organisations, such as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Home Office has warned of an increasingly emboldened Iran (Image: Getty)
Many critics have argued that the IRGC exports terror around the World, and should be treated like terrorist groups ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Security minister Dan Jarvis said: “What has become increasingly clear is the challenges inherent in applying our existing counter-terror legislation to state and state-linked threats to our national security.
“This challenge was first raised by the Home Secretary in opposition.
“She warned of a lack of a comprehensive strategic approach for state threats to mirror that adopted on terrorism, and the specific difficulties in using a proscription mechanism designed for groups like al Qaeda on state bodies.
“We are progressing work at pace to address this challenge.”
Mr Jarvis added that Mr Hall’s work will give “specific consideration to the design of a proscription mechanism for state and state-linked bodies providing more flexibility than is offered under the existing powers”.
He continued: “We are utterly determined to stay ahead of those who threaten our country and any step that could aid us in that critical endeavour will be considered.”
Government sources have warned that designating the IRGC as terrorists would lead to diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran breaking down.
But the Iranian regime will be placed in the enhanced tier of the UK’s new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), Mr Jarvis said.
The Security Minister said Iran had become “increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours”.
He added: “The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt and degrade the threats that we face from Iran.
“I can announce today that we will place the whole of the Iranian state, including Iran’s intelligence services, the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), and MOIS (Ministry of Intelligence), on to the enhanced tier of the new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
“The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, or FIRS, is a critical disruptive tool for the UK. This action will mean that those who are directed by Iran to conduct activities in the UK, such as criminal proxies, must register that activity, whatever it is, or face five years in prison.
“They will face a choice: expose their actions to the Government or face jail. Now the Home Office will lay regulations in Parliament as soon as possible, with a view to having the scheme up and running by the summer.”
The Daily Express has reported how Iranian spies can hire assassins in the UK and Europe “very easily”,
A Spanish politician who survived being shot in the face by a hitman believed to have been hired by Tehran told the Daily Express the “Ayatollahs are murderers”.
Alejo Vidal-Quadras, 79, said the Iranian regime and intelligence agencies use criminals to avoid diplomatic repercussions.
And Dr Matthew Levitt, who was a counterterrorism intelligence analyst at the FBI, said Tehran “repeatedly” uses the Foxtrot and Rumba gangs, which operate in Sweden and the Hells Angels to act on their behalf.
Mr Levitt said Iran also uses “Eastern European” gangs, which then ’sub-contract’ the activities.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “We support the listing of Iran in the enhanced tier of Firs (Foreign Influence Registration Scheme), we support the Government in that and will support the relevant statutory instrument when it comes before Parliament.”
Mr Philp went on to ask: “Is merely requiring registration a strong enough sanction, and I put it to the House that it is not strong enough because under Firs all that is required is registration and that alone is not enough.
“We’ve seen our allies the United States in 2019 designate the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) as a terror organisation, we’ve seen our Canadian allies do the same just last year and yet I’ve heard nothing on proscription.”
Mr Jarvis said it was “long-standing” Government procedure not to comment on organisations or entities that are being considered for proscription, adding: “I know that he wouldn’t really expect me to break from that long-standing precedent today and I’m not going to.”