Iran Labels Royal Navy and RAF Terrorist Organisations

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has designated the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations and classified MI6 as a hostile group, describing the measures as reciprocal actions against Britain. The ministry said the designations were announced on Sunday and took effect upon publication. It cited what it called British hostile actions over the past year, including allowing US forces to use military and logistical facilities under British jurisdiction and placing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under the UK’s State Threats Act in July. The ministry said the naval and air force designations were made under Iranian legislation addressing countermeasures to the US terrorist designation of the IRGC. It said MI6 would be treated under Iranian espionage legislation concerning Israel and other countries. The ministry warned that Britain would bear responsibility for the consequences, but did not explain how the measures would be enforced. The announcement follows rising tensions between Tehran and London, including a security incident at RAF Fairford in England. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident was likely to have been coordinated in Iran; Tehran’s...