The former head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service has issued a stark assessment of the Iranian regime, stating it is politically weaker than before but retains its full capacity for violent repression against its own people.
Regime Weakness and Unabated Brutality
Sir Richard Moore, who led MI6 until last year, pointed to a combination of domestic and international factors that have eroded the Tehran government's strength. He cited its profound economic mismanagement and incompetence, which have fuelled widespread public anger. Crucially, he highlighted the significant damage inflicted on Iran's network of proxy forces across the Middle East during the so-called '12-day war' in 2025.
"For all those reasons, they are weaker," Sir Richard stated. "But their capacity for cruelty and repression... has not gone away. And they will try and crush this." His comments come amid reports that hundreds of protesters have been killed and thousands detained in a major uprising against the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International Response and the IRGC Question
The former spy chief cautioned that any external support for protesters must be "carefully calibrated" to avoid backlash, emphasising that "Iranians must decide their own future." This follows remarks from US President Donald Trump, who claimed Iran had proposed negotiations after he threatened action over the crackdown.
Domestically, pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. Sir Richard offered a nuanced view on this potential move, describing the IRGC as "a very bad organisation that does very bad things." However, he warned that proscription, a tool designed for non-state actors, would have more symbolic than practical effect against an arm of the state.
"The danger is something like that is mostly about us feeling better about ourselves," he said.
Government Stance on Sanctions and Legislation
Cabinet minister Peter Kyle indicated the government had already maximised the use of sanctions against Iran. The Business Secretary told Times Radio the administration was examining the issue of the IRGC closely but noted that the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation had found domestic proscription powers inappropriate for use against state bodies.
"We've already used the sanctions against Iran to the full extent we can," Mr Kyle stated, adding that the government was working with international partners to explore ways to bring further pressure to bear on Tehran. The government's approach appears focused on navigating the complex line between demonstrating support for Iranian civilians and employing legally sound, effective measures.
