A UK minister said new state-threat legislation could give the Home Secretary power to act against hostile state-backed threats, as lawmakers pressed the government over the IRGC, Iran-linked proxy groups and threats to UK-based journalists and Jewish communities.
Home Office minister David Hanson, said the government wanted the bill passed so the Home Secretary could make judgments on state threats and take action that, if approved by both Houses of Parliament, could lead to sentences of up to 14 years for those convicted.
“We are trying to put in place a framework for legislation where we can act on any potential state threat,” Hanson told the House of Lords.
He added: “The Government condemns antisemitism and is very much aware of the Iranian state threat.”
Lord Henry Bellingham welcomed the legislation and said “the use of these proxies, behind which obviously countries like Iran are hiding, are doing untold harm.”
He said the issue was “not just the IRGC,” pointing also to the Iran-linked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which he said had claimed responsibility for recent antisemitic attacks.
Hanson said any future designation would be for the Home Secretary to assess once the bill becomes law, adding: “We take the threats from Iran extremely seriously and we will continue to monitor that.”
Lord John Cryer said the bill was welcome but overdue, citing the case involving an attack on Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati and saying IRGC proxies and agents had targeted British Jews and Jewish institutions.
Lord Stuart Polak urged ministers to look beyond the IRGC itself and examine “what’s going on in the charity world here,” saying money was being raised in Britain, including British taxpayers’ money, “towards helping the IRGC.”
Hanson said Britain had already sanctioned more than 550 Iranian individuals and organizations, including the IRGC in its entirety, and had placed Iran under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
“What this power will do will give the Secretary of State, if passed by both Houses, an additional power to take action against any state threat the Secretary of State deems to be a threat to the United Kingdom,” he said.
