Iran just declared Britain's navy and air force terrorist groups

Iran just put a formal terrorist label on two branches of Britain's armed forces.

A few hours ago, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced it. The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force are now officially designated terrorist organisations. MI6, Britain's foreign intelligence service, is now classified as a hostile group.

So why now? Iran says it's reciprocal. America named Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation. Now Iran is doing the same thing back, to Britain.

Iran's Foreign Ministry also named two other reasons. One, Britain let its territory be used for military and logistical support during the US-Israeli war against Iran. Two, Britain put the Revolutionary Guards under new state-threat powers in July.

And MI6 isn't just labelled. Iran says it now falls under an Iranian law covering espionage and cooperation with Israel and other hostile states.

This is the first time Iran has ever formally designated the armed forces of a NATO member as terrorist organisations.

So where did the July decision come from? Angela Eagle, the UK's Security Minister, told Parliament that the government had found activity linked to the Revolutionary Guards involving threats to life and intimidation on British soil. The group got proscribed under the National Security Act's state-threat powers. Two other groups got proscribed at the same time — an Iranian opposition militia and a Russian mercenary unit.

There's a more recent flashpoint too.

In the early hours of 27 September, a woman spotted oddly parked vans and masked men near RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire. Five British men in their early twenties got arrested, suspected of preparing a terrorist act. A sixth man, a British-Iranian dual national, was arrested in London later and released on bail. Two men, both 24, have since been charged.