Iran-backed group linked to attacks on UK Jewish sites

Key Points:

• The U.K. government announced it is banning the Iran-backed proxy group Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) for carrying out arson and vandalism attacks on Jewish sites, including synagogues and charity ambulances, in Britain and Europe.
• The ban also targets Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), labeling it a national security threat and making support for these groups illegal, with penalties up to life imprisonment; Parliament is expected to approve the bans by the end of the week.
• The IMCR has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in the U.K., Belgium, and the Netherlands, with the U.K. attributing direction of these attacks to the IRGC’s Quds Force, which conducts overseas operations.
• Britain also designated the Russian military intelligence-controlled GRU Volunteer Corps as a national security threat for conducting covert hostile operations, enabling stronger law enforcement action against proxy groups.
• The moves come amid broader efforts by the U.K. to counter foreign state-backed hostile activities, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper summoning the Iranian ambassador to condemn Iran’s actions and reaffirm Britain’s commitment to protecting the Jewish community.