UK Elevates Iran to Highest Tier of Foreign Influence Register

On Tuesday, the UK government announced that it would require the Iranian state to register all activities aimed at exerting political influence within the country, placing Tehran under an enhanced level of scrutiny due to what officials describe as increasingly aggressive actions.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis stated that Iran, along with its security services and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), would be categorized in the highest tier of the forthcoming Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). This scheme aims to protect against covert foreign influence and is set to launch this summer.

Jarvis addressed Parliament, highlighting the Iranian regime’s targeting of dissidents, media organizations, and journalists who report on its violent repression. He noted, “The Iranian regime is targeting dissidents, and it is targeting media organizations and journalists reporting on the violent oppression of the regime.”

The announcement follows comments from the head of Britain’s domestic spy agency, MI5, who revealed that since January 2022, there have been 20 Iran-backed plots aimed at kidnapping or assassinating British nationals and individuals residing in the UK whom Tehran perceives as threats.

Under the FIRS, foreign powers will be required to register arrangements for political influence activities within the UK. The enhanced tier grants senior ministers the authority to mandate broader registration of activities from specific countries and organizations to safeguard British interests. Non-compliance with registration requirements will be considered a criminal offense, although properly registered activities will not be prohibited.

Jarvis emphasized the increasing boldness of the Iranian regime, stating, “It has become increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours.” He added that there has been a notable rise in direct actions against UK targets in recent years, characterizing these plots as a deliberate strategy by Iran to silence criticism through intimidation.

The Iranian embassy in London has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the new measures.

This heightened scrutiny follows incidents earlier this year, including the conviction of an Austrian national for conducting “hostile reconnaissance” against the London headquarters of Iran International, a network critical of the Iranian government. In another case, a British journalist of Iranian descent who worked for Iran International sustained injuries from an attack near his home in London, leading counter-terrorism police to investigate the incident amid concerns it was a targeted assault due to his reporting.