Tehran – The UK has strengthened its conflicting stance towards Iran and designated the country under the “strengthened layer” of the Foreign Impact Registration Scheme (FIR).
Security Minister Dan Jarvis justified the decision by asserting Iran’s threats to the Jewish community, individuals affiliated with Israel, and the anti-Iran-Persian media.
Iran vehemently rejected the claim as “basic” and said the British action was part of a decades-long campaign of imperialist hostility, which has now been amplified by pro-Israel lobbying groups within British politics.
Esmail Baqaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, accused the designation of FIRS of politically motivating.
“These accusations lack a credible foundation and are deliberately biased against the UK’s own unstable role in our region,” he said, saying the UK hypocritically hosts “anti-Iranian terrorist groups” to level off unproven security threats.
The Fukaray emphasized Iran’s compliance with the UN Charter and international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty and non-interference.
He urged London to abandon its “conflict policy” and engage in “fair dialogue” and warned that British alliance with Israel would endanger further regional instability.
With unprecedented scope, the FIRS measures, which were intensified to arrest individuals accused of supporting foreign intelligence reporting agencies, reached 14 years in prison.
Critics argue that the policy criminalizes normal diplomacy and cultural exchanges, labeling the Iranian Foreign Ministry as a “disruptive agenda” aimed at sequestering Tehran.
“The path to regional stability lies in fair involvement, not fake threats,” said Fukaray, who said historic grievances and foreign influence are unlikely to resonate in Westminster, where policy-held drivers remain.
Meanwhile, the UK’s National Crime Bureau has committed to targeting financial networks allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and further straining bilateral relations.
Century of Empire Exploitation
Before 1953, Iranian British imperialism had already placed deep and lasting scars on the country’s sovereignty and economic prosperity. Since the 19th century, Britain has pursued strategic interests through a series of unequal treaties and economic interventions.
The discovery of oil in the early 20th century only amplified the involvement of the UK, as the establishment of an Anglo-Persian oil company recognized London a nearly exclusive foothold for Iran’s most important resources.
This era of calculated exploitation not only exhausted its wealth from Iran, it also sowed a wide range of resentments that undermined the country’s political independence and later promoted a call for self-determination.
Based on the legacy of exploitation, the mid-20th century witnessed a dramatic turning point. In 1953, a secret operation by the CIA and MI6 coordinated the overthrow of Iran’s first democratically elected leader, Prime Minister Mohammad Mosadegu.
This intervention empowered the authoritarian Pahlavi regime, implementing policies that led to widespread corruption, human rights abuses and economic disparities.
Following the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Britain provided military and economic aid to the Saddam Hussein regime during the Iran-Iraq wars of the 1980s.
In recent years, the UK has imposed sanctions on 145 Iranian individuals and five organisations under the pretext of contested human rights, threatening the “snapback” UN measures to cripple Iran’s economy.
Since 2022, London has escalated its rhetoric, designating Iran “national security threats” and frozen assets of entities like the Iranian Air, citing unproven drone and missile spread claims.
The growing influence of Israeli lobby
Analysts highlight the significant impact of Israeli lobbying groups in shaping the UK’s strengthening stance that could affect the UK’s recent anti-Iran movement.
Under Labor Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, 13 of the 25 Cabinet members, including Foreign Secretary David Lamey and Prime Minister Rachel Reeves, received funds from Israeli donors.
During the 2020 leadership campaign, Starme himself accepted £50,000 from Trevertin, a key figure at the UK’s Israeli Centre for Communications Research.
The financial impact spans both major political parties, with around 180 lawmakers raising more than £1 million from pro-Israel groups.
The shaking of the administration’s lobby came into view during the 2019 Labor Leader Race when Palestinian Voice Advocate Jeremy Corbyn, expressed relentless accusations of anti-Semitism, was looking at Israeli critics widely towards deputy critics.
Today, priorities reflect Tel Aviv’s narratives against Iran, which are unconditionally supported during the Gaza conflict, supporting Israel during the Gaza conflict despite global protests and extensive evidence of genocide.