By Sarah Sackman / Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green
For many members of Finchley and Golders Green’s Iranian community, the threat posed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is not an abstract issue debated in Westminster. It is deeply personal.
When I visited the memorial wall on Limes Avenue [created in memory of the victims of the Islamic Republic crackdown on protesters] several months ago, I heard firsthand about the fear felt within the community. People shared heartbreaking accounts of fleeing repression, intimidation and violence, as well as their continuing concern for relatives and friends living under the shadow of the Islamic Republic.
I also heard about the fear that many Iranians continue to experience on the streets of Britain — a painful sense that they have not entirely escaped the regime’s long reach. Their message to me was unequivocal: the Government must take action against the IRGC, and it must do so without delay.
As the Member of Parliament for Finchley and Golders Green, I conveyed that urgency to the Government and pressed for swifter and stronger action. I was therefore pleased to welcome the Government’s decision this week to use the new National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 to designate both the IRGC and the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR).
Finchley and Golders Green are home to vibrant Iranian and Jewish communities, both of which understand all too well the fear and division the IRGC seeks to spread. Recent attacks in Britain linked to the IMCR — including incidents targeting Persian-language media and the antisemitic arson attack on Hatzola — were intended to intimidate communities here in London.
We cannot allow those responsible to succeed. The Government has demonstrated that it will stand with Iranians who sought sanctuary in Britain, built their lives here and contributed so greatly to our country.
The new legislation will give the police, prosecutors and intelligence agencies stronger powers to tackle those acting on behalf of, or providing support to, designated organisations. It will make it easier to investigate, prosecute and imprison individuals who assist groups linked to hostile state activity, with the most serious offences carrying a possible life sentence.
This designation is an important step towards protecting Britain’s national security and safeguarding the freedoms that so many Iranian families came to this country to enjoy. I am proud to represent Finchley and Golders Green, and I will continue to stand against hatred, intimidation and foreign-state threats in our community.
