(High Peak) (Con): What
recent assessment he has made of the role of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran’s regional activity. [902370]
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa (): We are concerned about
Iran’s destabilising regional activity. The Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps provides military and financial support for groups
that include the Houthis and Hezbollah. Support for those groups
is in contravention of UN Security Council resolutions and
undermines prospects for regional stability. We have called on
Iran to play a constructive role in the region, and Ministers and
senior officials routinely raise concerns with Iranian
counterparts and regional partners.
[V]: The Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps is the nexus of Iran’s destabilising
activities, distributing funds and weapons in Iraq, Lebanon,
Syria and Yemen. The revolutionary guard is already subject to UK
sanctions, but does the Minister agree that full proscription
should now be applied? Does he share my concerns that the
expiration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action arms embargo in October stands to enable the
revolutionary guard to expand its murderous regional actions?
: We have long expressed our
deeply held concerns about the de-stabilising activity of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. I take into consideration the
points my hon. Friend makes about its activity, but the UK
Government do not routinely comment on organisations that they
may proscribe. The proscription list is regularly reviewed and we
will always take situations on the ground into consideration when
we update it.
