MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2023) The United Kingdom is considering designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite branch of the country's military, a terrorist organization after the execution of UK-Iranian dual citizen Alireza Akbari for espionage in Tehran, the Financial Times reported, citing sources.
The UK government has not made a final decision yet as it is weighing the move's possible consequences and risks, since the designation may cause retaliatory measures related to Iranian-British dual citizens and complicate the process of reviving the nuclear deal, according to the media outlet.
The UK has also been concerned by alleged threats posed by Iran to individuals, including journalists, the newspaper reported.
"At its sharpest this (threat) includes ambitions to kidnap or even kill British or UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime," Ken McCallum, director-general of the UK counterintelligence service, was quoted as saying by the Financial Times.
Iranian media reported on Saturday that the Iranian authorities had executed Akbari on charges of spying on behalf of the UK intelligence. Earlier in the week, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly urged the Iranian government to commute Akbari's death sentence, calling the decision politically motivated and a demonstration of disregard for human life.
London temporarily recalled the UK ambassador from Iran over the execution, sanctioned Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri and summoned the country's charge d'affaires.
