Iran rivals Russia in physical and cyber threats to the UK
- Iran has increased its physical threat level in the UK by targeting dissidents.
- The British Parliament's ISC warns that Iran poses comparable threats to those of Russia.
- Urgent action is needed from the UK government to address and mitigate these evolving threats.
Iran has significantly increased its threat level to the United Kingdom, particularly after the 'Women, Life, Freedom' uprising in 2022. The British Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) recently released a report indicating that Iran now poses a physical and cyber threat on par with that of Russia. The report, compiled over several years, notes at least 15 known attempts by Iranian agents to kill or abduct individuals in the UK, particularly targeting Iranian dissidents and Jewish communities. Despite the escalating threats, the UK government has been criticized for its focus on managing the nuclear development issue at the expense of broader security concerns. This has resulted in inadequate counterterrorism strategies that do not fully capture the complexity of Iran’s operations or its understanding of British society. The ISC report urges a reevaluation of how the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is classified, as it appears engaged in activities that necessitate a more active response from British security agencies. While Iran's threats have evolved, the government has lagged in developing a comprehensive policy to address these emerging risks, and urgency is required to effectively counteract this evolving challenge, given the damage done by past policies.