UK Plans Law Targeting Hostile-State Proxies, With Jail Terms Up to 14 Years
The law would criminalize backing designated proxies or taking their money, with about 10 designations expected in the first year, officials said.
- Britain announced on Tuesday a new law to target proxies acting for hostile states such as Iran, Russia, and China, expected to come into force in July to close legislative gaps allowing foreign powers to pay criminals for surveillance and sabotage.
- Domestic intelligence agency MI5 warned that state-threat investigations increased 35 per cent in 2025, including 20 potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots amid numerous arson attacks on Jewish sites in recent months.
- The legislation makes it illegal to express support for designated proxies or accept their funding, carrying jail terms of up to 14 years, with about 10 designations expected within the first year after implementation.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that 'where foreign states engage in threatening activity, we must ensure such actions have consequences,' emphasizing Britain will not tolerate hostile actors paying criminals to conduct dirty work.
- Many British lawmakers have called for banning the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps , though no indication exists it will be included in the initial designations, while Russia, China, and Iran dismiss the proxy allegations as propaganda.
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WWBLBritain introduces sweeping new powers to target foreign state-linked groups including Iran’s IRGC
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Britain introduces sweeping new powers to target foreign state-linked groups including Iran's IRGC
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Britain Tightens Grip on Hostile Proxies with New Law
The UK plans to enforce a new law next month targeting proxies acting for hostile states like Iran. The legislation aims to curb activities such as surveillance and sabotage by organisations linked to state threats following antisemitic incidents and arson attacks on Jewish sites with suspected Iranian links.
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