Iran designates MI6 a hostile group and lists Britain's navy and air force as terrorist organizations

Iran's foreign ministry announced countermeasures against British intelligence and military bodies, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported in Persian on Sunday. The ministry designated the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) a "hostile group" and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force "terrorist organizations." The ministry said it acted in response to what it called Britain's hostile actions. These include Britain's participation in what IRNA called the "American-Zionist war against Iran" and Britain's decision to place the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under its state-threats law.

Britain made that decision in mid-July. It used new "proscription-like" powers to designate the IRGC as a threat to national security. At the time, Iran said it reserved the right to reciprocate. London has accused the IRGC of plots on British soil. In October it blamed the force for an incident at an airbase, which Tehran called a "false flag" operation. Iran has used the same reciprocity law before, designating the navies and air forces of European Union states in February after the EU listed the IRGC.

Gulf shipping is the immediate practical concern. Japan's Jiji Press reported that the Japanese and Saudi foreign ministers met and agreed to cooperate on restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Japan imports most of its crude from the Gulf, and Saudi Arabia is now under Houthi attack. Iran has said it will not reopen the strait until Washington accepts its terms.