Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

An Iran expert claims the Islamic Center of England functions as Iran's supreme leader's office in the UK and urges its closure. The center is accused of sponsoring visas for imams and being linked to IRGC operatives, with reports suggesting Iran uses smuggling routes to send agents to the UK. The UK government faces criticism over potential gaps in national security and immigration policies.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s OFAC issued and revoked Iran-related sanctions relief via General Licenses X and X1 in June and July 2026, following a pattern similar to the earlier JCPOA. These actions aimed to facilitate negotiations but faced practical challenges due to lack of carve-outs for IRGC-related transactions and limited State Department waivers.

The UK has stated it is ready to defend itself after Iran's military warned that US bases in the UK are 'legitimate targets'. The UK allows the US to use its bases for 'defensive' operations but has refused to support offensive actions.

A US attack on Iran’s Shalamcheh border crossing killed at least two and wounded 11 others, with additional strikes reported in Bushehr and Andimeshk. Yemen's Houthis attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported a mined route incident near the Strait of Hormuz. The US House passed a defense policy bill amid concerns over costs and Iran-related provisions.

Iran targeted US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, striking radar, air defense systems, and infrastructure following 10 consecutive nights of US attacks. The US and Iran had previously signed an agreement to halt military operations, but the US resumed attacks after Trump declared the agreement dead on 8 July 2026, leading to renewed conflict.

US forces conducted their ninth consecutive day of strikes on Iran, targeting military and surveillance sites to counter Iranian threats against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claimed two oil tankers exploded and were immobilized, attributing the attacks to US 'aggression' and vowing to keep the waterway unsafe until the US ceases its actions. The US and Iran have escalated hostilities following a collapsed ceasefire, with Iran retaliating via drone strikes and missile attacks on US assets in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait.

The US conducted its eighth consecutive night of strikes against southern Iran, targeting military and civilian infrastructure, while Iran retaliated with drone attacks on US facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iranian officials warned of a 'decisive and devastating response' to US aggression, as strikes damaged bridges, hospitals, and transportation networks in Hormozgan and Khuzestan provinces.

Two U.S. service members were killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks on a U.S. base in Jordan on July 17, confirmed by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The attacks occurred amid a broader Iranian campaign targeting U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf, including strikes on Kuwait and Qatar, following a U.S. military response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan during Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on a U.S. base. Four others were medically evacuated but later discharged. This marks the first U.S. deaths in the Iran conflict since fighting resumed in June, with 16 total U.S. service members killed since February.

Iran condemned the UK's designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a security threat, calling it 'unjustified' and 'irresponsible.' Iran's foreign ministry stated the IRGC is an official part of Iran's armed forces and accused the UK of violating international law by targeting a state institution. Britain banned support for the IRGC under new powers aimed at preventing foreign states from using proxies for surveillance and sabotage.

The US launched new strikes on Iran following an IRGC attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran subsequently closed. The conflict has escalated tensions in the Gulf, with multiple countries reporting missile engagements and Iran warning of a 'severe response' to further retaliation.

The U.S. military launched a third round of strikes against Iran in response to an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran announced the closure of this critical oil trading passage after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck a Cyprus-flagged container ship named GFS.

The US imposed new sanctions on Iran targeting Mojtaba Khamenei, a key financier for Iran's new leader, and 13 others following attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The sanctions aim to disrupt financial networks linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and other entities.

The U.S. conducted strikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets following missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping and Gulf targets, aiming to deter Iranian aggression and assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is expected to continue periodic harassment of shipping to maintain regional influence but is unlikely to attempt closing the Strait outright unless the U.S. reinstates a blockade.

The US and Iran exchanged accusations following renewed attacks, with the US striking over 80 targets in Iran and Iran claiming to have hit 85 US military facilities. The US Treasury revoked a license for Iranian oil sales, and military officials indicated ongoing strikes. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to visit Israel, and bombs near a hotel in Damascus injured 18 people during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit.

Funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei continued in Tehran, with senior officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf attending prayers led by Jafar Sobhani. Khamenei’s coffin was displayed alongside four relatives killed in 28 February strikes by US and Israel, with over 10 million expected to participate in the events.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated with recent strikes, undermining a tenuous ceasefire. Disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and a failed agreement to establish a military coordination 'hotline' have led to renewed attacks, including U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and Iranian drone and missile attacks on U.S. bases.

Bahrain's interior ministry confirmed alarm sirens after an explosion, amid Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming drone and missile attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Oman joined Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE in condemning the reported strike on Bahrain and reaffirming support for its security.

The US has blacklisted Iran's largest crypto exchange, Nobitex, along with three other exchanges for facilitating financial transactions that help Iran skirt sanctions. A Reuters report found Nobitex played a key role in supporting the IRGC and Iranian central bank.

Iran has been conducting an asymmetric war against the U.S. and West since 1979 through proxies, terrorism, and illicit networks. Recent DOJ charges against Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior commander in Iran-backed Kata'ib Hizballah, reveal coordinated attacks on U.S. and Jewish targets using Latin American cartel networks and front groups. Iran's long-term strategy includes embedding infrastructure in Latin America via mosques, charities, and criminal facilitators.

Maritime tracking blackouts near the UAE's Fujairah oil hub coincided with a 1.35 million-barrel oil transfer and U.S.-Iran peace negotiations progress. Iran asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. hinted at potential military actions amid heightened tensions.

An Iraqi Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operative, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, reportedly plotted to assassinate Ivanka Trump to avenge the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani. The NY Post claims al-Saadi, affiliated with Kataeb Hezbollah, was detained in the U.S. and made the assassination pledge.

Sanctioned Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani allegedly moved $850 million for Iran's Islamic Republic via Binance, a crypto exchange used as a financial conduit for the IRGC, despite U.S. sanctions and a Trump pardon of Binance's founder.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an alleged IRGC terrorist, reportedly vowed to target Ivanka Trump in retaliation for the US killing his mentor. The plot is described as a twisted act of vengeance.

The article argues that the United Kingdom must proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to prevent terrorist attacks and illicit activities on British soil. The author cites evidence of IRGC involvement in money laundering, intelligence operations, and directing local gangs to attack Jewish targets in London, drawing parallels to historical attacks in Argentina in the 1990s.

Lebanon accuses Iran of inserting IRGC terrorists into the country under diplomatic guise, amid talks between Israel and Lebanon to normalize relations. The Lebanese government filed a complaint with the United Nations, citing Iran's abuse of diplomatic immunity. The US facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon have resumed, aiming for lasting peace.

The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of Monica Witt, a former US Air Force intelligence agent accused of spying for Iran. Witt was indicted in February 2019 on charges of espionage and has been at large since her defection to Iran in 2013. The FBI believes she may still be supporting Iranian activities.

Sharon Gohari, an Iran-born US citizen, pleaded guilty to running a migrant smuggling operation and stockpiling child abuse material, posing national security risks. The operation brought foreign nationals into the US, including a traveler tied to a US-designated terrorist group. Gohari also exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit.

Iran's political factions are engaged in a visible power struggle, with key figures like Ahmad Vahidi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opposing each other. Speculation about the survival of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, and the regime's opaque governance structure complicate negotiations with the U.S. under Trump.

Iran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and economic stability have been severely degraded. Key leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military figures, are dead or injured, and the regime faces regional isolation and internal collapse.

Bellingcat has identified at least 80 damaged or destroyed police stations and law enforcement infrastructure in Iran during the first three weeks of a 2026 US-Israel military campaign. The strikes target Iran's repressive capacity, with the majority focused on police stations (30 incidents) and command centers (29 incidents). Israel and the US have conducted thousands of strikes against IRGC sites, military infrastructure, and now law enforcement agencies.

Iran's IRGC seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as 'tit-for-tat' retaliation against the U.S., including the MSC Francesca owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a firm tied to billionaire Gianluigi Aponte, whose family has connections to Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.

President Trump extended the Iran ceasefire indefinitely, citing Tehran's fractured government. The move followed canceled U.S.-Iran peace talks and Iranian military actions in the Strait of Hormuz, including seizing ships and threatening Gulf neighbors. The U.S. military's recent operations are praised for professionalism but highlighted as insufficient for a strategic resolution.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) clashed with MS NOW host Katy Tur over the Trump administration's Iran war strategy, accusing her of promoting leftist talking points. Lawler defended the war as a 'just war' to prevent Iran's nuclear weapons, while Tur questioned its justification and effectiveness. The exchange included references to Obama's Libya conflict and criticism of Trump's foreign policy.

President Trump has given Iran 3-5 days to resolve internal divisions among its warring factions to continue peace talks, as Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains unresponsive and IRGC generals clash with civilian negotiators. The U.S. fears no empowered leader in Tehran can finalize a deal, with recent tensions escalating after Iran's failed commitment to reopen talks in Pakistan.

President Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, citing a 'fractured' Iranian government and responding to Pakistani mediators' requests. The decision averts immediate military escalation but risks weakening U.S. leverage, as Iran's leadership remains divided over negotiations.

Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, stranding hundreds of tankers and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and trauma. A distress call captured by TankerTrackers revealed Iranian forces firing on a tanker, while Hapag-Lloyd reported crews stranded and risks from sea mines.

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, praised by Donald Trump, has built strong ties with Iran's military and intelligence establishment, serving as a back channel between Washington and Tehran. Munir's recent visit to Iran and connections with figures like Qassem Soleimani and Hossein Salami highlight his dual influence with both Trump and Iran's leadership.

Iran warns the Strait of Hormuz could close again if the US naval blockade persists, violating a recent ceasefire agreement. The strait, critical for 20% of global oil trade, requires ships to follow Iranian-designated routes and avoid 'hostile countries.' Markets reacted with Bitcoin surging over $78,000 as tensions escalate.

US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad ended in deadlock, likened to the 1986 Reykjavik talks, with Trump ordering a port blockade and threatening strikes on Iran. Israel's attacks on Hezbollah, Iran's proxy, intensified tensions amid criticism of Iran's regime and political reactions in the US.