TEHRAN – The United Kingdom has intensified its confrontational posture toward Iran, designating the country under the “enhanced tier” of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), a move requiring Iranian state-linked entities to register activities in the UK or face severe penalties, including imprisonment.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis justified the decision by alleging Iranian threats against Jewish communities, Israeli-affiliated individuals, and anti-Iran Persian-language media.

Iran has vehemently rejected the claims as “baseless,” saying UK’s actions are part of a decades-long campaign of imperialist hostility now amplified by pro-Israel lobbying groups within British politics.  

Esmail Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, condemned the FIRS designation as politically motivated.

“These accusations lack any credible foundation and are deliberately deflecting from Britain’s own destabilizing role in our region,” he stated, noting that the UK hypocritically hosts “anti-Iranian terrorist groups” while leveling unproven security threats.

Baqaei emphasized Iran’s adherence to the UN Charter and international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty and non-interference.

He urged London to abandon its “confrontational policies” and engage in “equitable dialogue,” warning that the UK’s alignment with Israel risks further regional instability.  

The enhanced FIRS measures, unprecedented in scope, empower British authorities to arrest individuals accused of assisting foreign intelligence services, with penalties reaching 14 years imprisonment.

Critics argue the policy criminalizes ordinary diplomatic and cultural exchanges, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry labeling it a “destructive agenda” aimed at isolating Tehran.

“The path to regional stability lies in equitable engagement, not fabricated threats,” Baqaei stated—a plea unlikely to resonate in Westminster, where historical grievances and foreign influence remain entrenched drivers of policy.

Meanwhile, the UK’s National Crime Agency has pledged to target financial networks allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), further straining bilateral relations.

A Century of Imperial exploitation

Before 1953, British imperialism in Iran was already laying deep and lasting scars on the nation’s sovereignty and economic prosperity. From the 19th century onward, the United Kingdom pursued its strategic interests through a series of unequal treaties and economic interventions.

The discovery of oil in the early 20th century only amplified Britain’s involvement, as the establishment of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company granted London an almost exclusive foothold over Iran’s most vital resource.

This era of calculated exploitation not only drained wealth from Iran but also undermined the country's political independence, sowing seeds of widespread resentment that would later fuel calls for self-determination.

Building on the legacy of exploitation, the mid-20th century witnessed a dramatic turning point. In 1953, covert operations by the CIA and MI6 orchestrated the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh—Iran’s first democratically elected leader—who had boldly nationalized the nation’s oil industry.

This intervention empowered the authoritarian Pahlavi regime, which implemented policies that led to widespread corruption, human rights abuses, and economic disparity.

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the UK supplied Saddam Hussein’s regime with military and economic aid during the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, even as it deployed chemical weapons against Iranian civilians—actions Tehran claims London tacitly endorsed.

In recent years, the UK has imposed sanctions on 145 Iranian individuals and five organizations under contested human rights pretexts, while threatening “snapback” UN measures to cripple Iran’s economy.

Since 2022, London has escalated its rhetoric, designating Iran a “national security threat” and freezing assets of entities like Iran Air, citing unproven drone and missile proliferation claims.

The Israel Lobby’s growing clout

Analysts highlight the outsized influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups in shaping the UK’s hardening stance, possibly influencing the UK’s recent anti-Iran move.

Under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, 13 of 25 cabinet members—including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves—have received funding from pro-Israel donors.

Starmer himself accepted £50,000 from Trevor Chinn, a key figure in the British Israel Communications and Research Centre, during his 2020 leadership campaign.  

This financial influence spans both major parties, with approximately 180 MPs collectively receiving over £1 million from pro-Israel groups.

The sway of the regime’s lobby was starkly evident in the 2019 Labour leadership race, when Jeremy Corbyn—a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights—faced relentless accusations of antisemitism, widely viewed as a lobby-driven campaign to sideline critics of Israel.

Today, Starmer’s government has mirrored Tel Aviv’s narrative on Iran, unconditionally backing Israel during the Gaza conflict despite global outcry and widespread evidence for genocide.