UK rejects Iran's 'terrorist' label for Royal Navy and RAF as Tehran designates MI6 a hostile group
Britain's defence secretary has dismissed Tehran's designation of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations, after Iran announced the measures on 1 November in retaliation for London's actions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Britain has rejected Iran's decision to designate the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting dismissing the move in blunt terms and the Ministry of Defence saying it utterly rejected the label.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Monday, Mr Streeting said the charge levelled at the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force by Iran did not really dignify a response, except to say that he was minded to take the press clippings and put them up in his downstairs toilet as a trophy. He added that Iran had a record of state-sponsored terrorism, in a response carried by the Press Association.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson gave the formal position in similar terms, saying: “We utterly reject this designation. The UK Armed Forces will continue to defend our people, personnel and interests, working closely with our allies and partners.” The response came a day after Tehran announced the measures, which also classified Britain's foreign intelligence service, MI6, as a hostile group.
Iran's Foreign Ministry announced the designations in a statement issued on Sunday 1 November, saying they took effect upon publication of the statement. The ministry said the decisions were made under a resolution of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and described them as a response to Britain's actions over the past year.
Under the first measure, MI6, formally known as the Secret Intelligence Service, was classified as a hostile group under Note 2 of Article 1 of Iran's law on intensifying punishment for espionage and cooperation with Israel and hostile countries against national security and national interests. The ministry said the provisions of that law would henceforth apply to the British agency.
Under the second measure, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force were brought under Iran's law on countermeasures against the United States' designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, and were accordingly designated as terrorist organisations under Iranian legislation.
Tehran gave two main reasons for the move. The first was what it called Britain's participation in the US-Israeli war against Iran, including providing military bases, facilities and logistical support. The second was London's decision on 13 July 2026 to place the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under Britain's State Threats Act 2026, a step Tehran described as part of a hostile policy against the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian statement condemned Britain's policies as contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, particularly respect for national sovereignty and the prohibition of unlawful measures against other countries. It added that the British government would bear responsibility for the consequences of its actions, without spelling out what practical steps would follow from the designations.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of an eight-month-old US-Israeli war on Iran that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and spilled over across the Middle East, even as Qatari mediators continue talks in Doha aimed at a settlement. Washington has said it will not launch new attacks before the 3 November US midterm elections, while Tehran has repeatedly warned it would respond to any new attack by striking US and Israeli targets in neighbouring countries.
What happens next is uncertain. London has so far answered with rejection rather than a matching legal step, and Tehran has not detailed any enforcement action tied to the new labels. The episode is likely to feature in the wider diplomatic argument over the war, the Strait of Hormuz and the future of the Doha talks, and any further British or Iranian measures would show whether this remains a war of words or becomes something more concrete.
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