Iranian soldiers at a parade in Tehran this week Photo: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Lord Cameron told Benjamin Netanyahu, that the UK will not ban Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, The Telegraph understands.
The Foreign Secretary personally conveyed the message to Mr Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, and Israel Katz, his foreign minister. According to a senior Whitehall source.
Both senior Israeli politicians are believed to have urged Lord Cameron to take the step when they met in Israel on Wednesday, arguing that Iran's attack on Israel proved it was necessary. However, the Foreign Secretary is reportedly strongly opposed , saying it would be better if London could continue negotiations with Tehran. “He was pretty harsh,” the source said.
Lord Cameron appears to have argued in general terms: “The Iranian Foreign Secretary is not a friend of the British Foreign Secretary and vice versa, but we need to be able to pick up the phone. If we banned them, it would not help the situation.”
Lord Cameron and Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, met on Wednesday in Jerusalem. Photo: Maayan Toaf/Israel Gpo/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
The position comes amid renewed pressure from some prominent Tories on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the branch of Iran's military that will be formally introduced following Iranian strikes on Israel last year weekend.
The ban would mean belonging to the IRGC, attending its meetings, wearing its logo in public, or encouraging support for its activities.
The government has been considering this move for more than a year, with interior ministers in the past supporting the change, but The Foreign Office opposed the change.
Foreign Office chiefs warn the move will lead to success. But ministers and officials are unable to speak with leading Iranian politicians, cutting off a useful channel of dialogue.
The US administration, which banned the Revolutionary Guard during Donald Trump's presidency, also argues that Britain would benefit from maintaining contacts.< /p>
Despite the fact that the UK does not agree to a direct ban, the UK has repeatedly imposed sanctions on the IRGC. On Thursday, the corps' fleet came under a wave of new British-American sanctions.
This comes after Iran fired about 350 drones, rockets and missiles at Israel on Saturday evening.
The West's failed attempt to force Mr. on Netanyahu not to retaliate – this continues amid fears of an escalation of attacks.
Changes in UK government strategy have occurred in recent days as it has become clear that a form of retaliation is approaching, with a focus on trying to minimize the scale of such actions.
Grant Shapps, the Defense Secretary said on Thursday that ” in fact” Israel is likely to retaliate against Iran. He told BBC Radio Four that it would be “surprising if Israel, in self-defence, were not inclined to retaliate.”
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