Iran announced on November 1, 2026, that it was designating Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations under Iranian legislation, while separately listing MI6 as hostile. AnewZ reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry presented the move as retaliation for British measures against the Revolutionary Guard. These are Iranian designations, not an internationally agreed classification. AnewZ / Anadolu
Background to the British measures
The legal background dates to July 17, 2026, when Britain's Home Office announced that the Revolutionary Guard's designation as a national-security threat had taken effect. Parliament had approved an order introduced on July 13 under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026. The two governments are therefore using different legal frameworks and labels in this dispute. UK Home Office
The British statement says the measures criminalise assistance to designated bodies or receiving material benefits from them, as well as support for activities threatening UK safety. Those restrictions explain the substance of the earlier British action cited by Tehran, beyond the political exchange of labels. UK Home Office
