Iran's foreign ministry reportedly announced on Sunday that it had designated the UK's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) as "terrorist organisations". The move comes a month after a security incident at RAF Fairford airbase, which UK PM Andy Burnham suggested was linked to Iran.
Men drive past a banner showing a portrait of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran. (Representative Image/AP)Earlier, two men appeared in a London court charged under Britain's National Security Act over last month's security incident at RAF Fairford. Prosecutors alleged that one of the men attempted to assist Iranian intelligence operations, according to Reuters.Furthermore, Iran's foreign ministry also said that it had classified Britain's MI6 as a "hostile group," Iran International reported.Also Read | Iran warns US, Israel of 'immediate' retaliation if attacks resumeThe statement further characterised the move against the Royal Navy and RAF as a reciprocal step in response to Washington's designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, it said.Use of military facilities on British territory, IRGC under UK's State Threats Act - What happened?Tehran said the decision was prompted by what it termed a series of hostile actions by Britain over the past year.These included permitting the use of military and logistical facilities on British soil during the war and bringing the IRGC under the UK's State Threats Act in July, the report added.The ministry further stated that MI6 would be subject to an Iranian law on espionage with Israel and other nations.Also Read | Trump, Netanyahu speak as US weighs renewed military action against IranIncident at RAF FairfordRAF Fairford, in England, was used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, but they were withdrawn on security grounds after several British men were arrested outside the base on September 27, Reuters further reported.Earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that the activity at the base was likely to have been coordinated in Iran; however, Tehran's ambassador to Britain denied the charges.Also Read | 'Would I tell you?' Trump snaps at reporter when asked about possible fresh US strikes against IranUS-Iran warThe US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on February 28 this year, killing its then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other key leaders.Following this, Tehran targeted US and Israeli interests in the region while tightening its grip over the key waterway, the Strait of Hormuz.Since the beginning of the war, global concerns regarding regional security and energy prices have remained high.