At a time when Iran's ballistic missiles are striking hospitals in Israel, another battle is being waged much closer to home—one that is unfolding quietly, invisibly, and dangerously across Britain’s digital infrastructure.
We Believe in Israel, in partnership with the Forum for Foreign Relations, has released a new Parliamentary Briefingdetailing the full extent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) cyber and ideological operations inside the United Kingdom. Titled The IRGC’s Cyber Threat to the United Kingdom, the report lays bare how this foreign regime has embedded itself into the fabric of British civil society—targeting our universities, our communities, our elected officials, and our democratic systems.
Acknowledgements
We Believe in Israel would like to express our sincere gratitude to our partners whose dedication and expertise made this critical briefing possible.
To Stop The Hate UK, thank you for your tireless work in exposing extremist networks and defending vulnerable communities from hatred and incitement.
To The Shield of David, we are deeply grateful for your unwavering commitment to standing up for Jewish communities and countering disinformation wherever it spreads.
To the Forum for Foreign Relations, your leadership in producing strategic, evidence-based research has been indispensable. This briefing would not exist without your intellectual rigour and clarity of purpose.
And to The GPS Network , thank you for your support, insight, and collaboration in building a more secure and informed civic space.
Together, our shared mission—to confront extremism, protect civil society, and safeguard democratic values—has never been more urgent. We are proud to stand with you.
A Threat in Our Digital Backyard
The IRGC, long recognised for its regional proxy warfare and support for terrorism, now operates in the UK through sophisticated cyber units such as APT35, MuddyWater, and the Mabna Institute. These groups have been implicated in:
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Hacking UK Parliament email systems, including MPs’ accounts
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Targeting British academics, analysts, and critical infrastructure providers
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Stealing intellectual property from British universities
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Cyberstalking and intimidating Iranian dissidents living in the UK
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Disseminating sectarian propaganda through UK-based schools and charities
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Promoting antisemitism, radicalisation, and incitement through cultural institutions
This is not an abstract threat. It is present, documented, and growing. In 2022 alone, MI5 linked at least 10 plots on British soil to Iranian operatives. Meanwhile, IRGC-aligned groups have filmed children in London pledging allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader. Our universities, charities, and faith communities are being exploited as ideological platforms for a regime that openly calls for the destruction of Israel and undermines British values.
Why This Matters Now
The UK Government has yet to fully proscribe the IRGC under the Terrorism Act 2000. This leaves our institutions defenceless against an entity that actively undermines our sovereignty, manipulates our communities, and threatens our national security.
As Iran’s missiles rain down on civilian hospitals abroad, the IRGC is also penetrating our institutions at home. The link between these acts of external aggression and internal subversion is undeniable—and the response must be decisive.
Our Call to Action
We Believe in Israel urges Parliament to act now. The briefing recommends:
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Full proscription of the IRGC, including its digital and ideological networks
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Increased scrutiny of UK charities and academic institutions with links to Iranian influence operations
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Stronger cyber defences for public institutions and civil society organisations
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Protection for British-Iranian dissidents and diaspora communities
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A formal inquiry into Iran’s operations and disinformation campaigns in the UK
Read the Parliamentary Brief here IRGC_-3.pdf
Read the complete Policy Briefing prepared by our partner the Forum for Foreign Relations here
