Mrs. Rajavi Welcomes the UK Government’s Proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Key points
- Mrs. Maryam Rajavi welcomed the UK Government’s decision to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- She described the decision as an important step toward regional and global peace, stability, and security.
- She thanked members of both Houses of the British Parliament for more than four decades of efforts supporting this policy.
- She emphasized that the designation should now be followed by concrete action.
- She called on the international community to recognize the Iranian people’s right to confront the IRGC and support their struggle for freedom and democracy.
Mrs. Rajavi welcomes the UK’s decision
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), welcomed the UK government’s decision, however long overdue, to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), describing it as essential for regional and global peace, stability, and security.
From the very outset, the Iranian Resistance has declared the IRGC as the principal organ of coercion and repression of the religious fascism ruling Iran.
The time has come to translate this designation into concrete action… The international community must stand alongside the people of Iran and support their determination to dismantle the IRGC and establish freedom and democracy.
Mrs. Rajavi also expressed her appreciation for more than four decades of perseverance and efforts by members of the British Houses of Commons and Lords, particularly the members of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, in advocating the proscription of the IRGC and exposing its actions against the people of Iran.
For years, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) have stressed the necessity of designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization and have repeatedly warned that appeasing this regime would only lead to the expansion of terrorism, warmongering, and intensified human rights violations.
The time has come to translate this designation into concrete action and, without any political or economic considerations, treat the IRGC and the clerical regime as terrorist entities. Recognizing the right of the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance to confront the IRGC is one of the practical imperatives of the IRGC’s proscription. The international community must stand alongside the people of Iran and support their determination to dismantle the IRGC and establish freedom and democracy.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
13 July 2026
Background to the IRGC’s Terrorist Designation
A brief overview of the IRGC’s role in domestic repression, regional destabilization, and international terrorism, and the longstanding campaign for its designation.
Why the IRGC was created
- Established shortly after the 1979 revolution.
- Created to protect the clerical regime—not the Iranian nation.
- Operates independently of Iran’s conventional armed forces.
- Reports directly to the Supreme Leader.
Instrument of domestic repression
Examples include:
- Crushing nationwide protests.
- Arbitrary arrests.
- Torture and executions.
- Suppression of political dissent.
- Enforcement of compulsory hijab through affiliated forces.
Exporting terrorism and regional instability
- Quds Force operations.
- Support for proxy militias.
- Activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere.
- Missile and drone programs.
- Hostage-taking and assassination plots abroad.
Human rights record
The IRGC is actively involved in human rights abuses.
- Thousands of executions.
- Mass arrests.
- Role in the 1988 massacre.
- Violent suppression of the 2009, 2019, and 2022 protests.
The Iranian Resistance’s longstanding position
- NCRI and PMOI have called for designation for decades.
- Published multiple books that exposed the IRGC terror network.
- Numerous conferences and parliamentary briefings.
- Intelligence disclosures.
- Public campaigns.
Why designation matters
Designation can help:
- Restrict financing.
- Criminalize material support.
- Limit travel.
- Facilitate prosecutions.
- Reduce operational freedom.
Why this decision is significant
Mrs. Rajavi considers the UK’s decision:
- Recognition of decades of evidence,
- An important step toward accountability,
- Encouragement for the Iranian people,
- A foundation for stronger international action.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1979 | IRGC established |
| 1980s | Expansion of repression and regional operations |
| 1988 | Role in mass executions |
| 2019 | U.S. designates IRGC as FTO |
| 2023–2026 | UK parliamentary campaigns intensify |
| 2026 | UK proscribes the IRGC |
Background: The Iranian Resistance’s Campaign to Designate the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization
For decades, the Iranian Resistance has led a sustained international campaign to expose the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as the principal instrument of the clerical regime’s repression, terrorism, and regional aggression. This effort has included major intelligence revelations, extensive briefings to policymakers, and the publication of numerous reports and books documenting the IRGC’s structure, operations, financing, and role in terrorism.
Many of these publications, produced by the National Council of Resistance of Iran – U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US), have provided detailed evidence supporting the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
The complete collection of NCRI-US publications on the IRGC’s terrorist infrastructure is available here.
Below is a selection of these publications.
Selected Publications
IRAN: IRGC, the Machinery of Terrorism
Why Tehran Wants the IRGC Off the U.S. Terror List
March 2022 | 20 pages
Explains why the IRGC belongs on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list and examines the Iranian regime’s persistent efforts to secure its removal.
IRAN: Exposing the Latest Terrorist Game Plan of the IRGC-Quds Force
Formation of Proxy Naval Units
February 2022 | 59 pages
Reveals, for the first time, how the IRGC-Quds Force recruits, arms, and trains mercenaries for newly established naval terrorist units.
IRGC’s Rising Drone Threat
A Desperate Regime’s Ploy to Project Power and Incite War
December 2021 | 70 pages
Documents the IRGC’s drone production, deployment, and export network, including fifteen front companies involved in procuring critical components.
Iran’s Emissaries of Terror
How the Mullahs’ Embassies Operate Networks of Espionage and Assassination
June 2019 | 208 pages
Examines how Tehran’s embassies and diplomatic missions have been used to plan and support international terrorism, espionage, and attacks against Iranian dissidents and other targets abroad.
Iran Doubles Down on Terror and Turmoil
November 2018 | 63 pages
Analyzes how the regime increasingly relied on domestic repression, terrorism, and intimidation in response to growing popular protests.
Iran’s Ballistic Buildup
The March Toward Nuclear-Capable Missiles
May 2018 | 136 pages
Examines Iran’s missile infrastructure, production facilities, command structure, and the relationship between its ballistic missile program and its nuclear weapons ambitions.
Iran: Cyber Repression
How the IRGC Uses Cyberwarfare to Preserve the Theocracy
February 2018 | 70 pages
Describes how the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence employ cyberwarfare and digital surveillance to suppress dissent and maintain the regime’s grip on power.
Iran’s Nuclear Core
Uninspected Military Sites Vital to the Nuclear Weapons Program
October 2017 | 52 pages
Documents hidden military facilities and demonstrates the central role of the IRGC in managing Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Terrorist Training Camps in Iran
How the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Trains Foreign Fighters to Export Terrorism
June 2017 | 56 pages
Details the IRGC’s network of terrorist training camps and its recruitment and training of foreign militants for operations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
The Rise of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Financial Empire
How the Supreme Leader and the IRGC Rob the People to Fund International Terrorism
March 2017 | 174 pages
Explores how the IRGC and the Office of the Supreme Leader built a vast economic empire that finances repression at home and terrorism abroad.
How Iran Fuels the Syria War
Details of the IRGC Command Headquarters and Key Officers in Syria
November 2016 | 74 pages
Documents the IRGC’s military command structure in Syria, its deployment of tens of thousands of forces and proxy militias, and its operational role in sustaining the Assad regime.
IRAN: A Writ of Deception and Cover-Up
The Iranian Regime’s Secret Committee Concealing the Military Dimensions of Its Nuclear Program
February 2016 | 30 pages
Reveals the existence of a secret committee established to mislead the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Iranian Regime’s Nuclear Duplicity
An Analysis of Tehran’s Deception During the P5+1 Nuclear Negotiations
January 2016 | 74 pages
Analyzes Tehran’s negotiating strategy and deceptive practices during the nuclear talks from 2003–2004 and 2013–2015.
How the Iranian Regime Cheated the World
Tehran’s Systematic Efforts to Conceal Its Nuclear Weapons Program
June 2014 | 50 pages
Examines the regime’s longstanding efforts to conceal the true nature and objectives of its nuclear weapons program from the international community.
Video overview
The following video provides an overview of the Iranian Resistance’s efforts to expose the IRGC’s terrorist infrastructure and the evidence presented in these publications.