The National Security Act 2023 (Designated Bodies) Regulations 2026

Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 847

NATIONAL SECURITY

The National Security Act 2023 (Designated Bodies) Regulations 2026

Made

16th July 2026

Coming into force

17th July 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 33A(1), (4) and (6) of the National Security Act 2023(1).

The Secretary of State believes that the bodies designated by regulation 2 of these Regulations are, or have been, involved in foreign power threat activity and considers that designating those bodies is necessary to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom(2).

The Secretary of State believes that the body designated by regulation 2(1)(b) of these Regulations is, or has been, operating wholly or partly under more than one name.

In accordance with section 96(5) and (6)(za) of that Act(3), a draft of these Regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Security Act 2023 (Designated Bodies) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Designated bodies

2.—(1) For the purposes of Part 1 of the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State designates—

(a) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami);

(b) the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR) (Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyah), including the alternative names listed in paragraph (2);

(c) the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Volunteer Corps (Glavnoye upravleniye General’nogo shtaba Vooruzhonnykh sil Rossiyskoy Federatsii Dobrovol’cheskii korpus) (GRU VC).

(2) The alternative names included in the designation in paragraph (1)(b) are—

(a) the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand;

(b) the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Righteous.

(3) For the purpose of listing the bodies for the time being designated by virtue of paragraph (1), after Schedule 6 to the National Security Act 2023, insert Schedule 6A, as set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Hanson

Minister of State

Home Office

16th July 2026

Regulation 2(3)

Schedule INSERTED SCHEDULE 6A TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT 2023

Section 33A

“Schedule 6A DESIGNATED BODIES

1.   The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami).

2.   The Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR) (Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyah), including the following alternative names—

(a) the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand;

(b) the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Righteous.

3.   The Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Volunteer Corps (Glavnoye upravleniye General’nogo shtaba Vooruzhonnykh sil Rossiyskoy Federatsii Dobrovol’cheskii korpus) (GRU VC).”

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Part 1 of the National Security Act 2023 (c. 32) (“the Act”) makes provision for designated bodies (including offences in relation to such bodies). Section 33A(1) provides that the Secretary of State may, by regulations, designate a body. Section 33A(4) provides that such regulations may amend the Act so as to insert a Schedule listing the bodies designated under section 33A. Section 33A(6) provides that the Secretary of State may include alternative names in the designation of a body if the Secretary of State believes the body is, or has been, operating wholly or partly under more than one name.

Regulation 2(1) designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR) and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Volunteer Corps (GRU VC) for the purposes of Part 1 of the Act.

Regulation 2(2) specifies the alternative names included in the designation of the IMCR at regulation 2(1)(b).

Regulation 2(3) inserts Schedule 6A into the Act. This Schedule lists the designated bodies and alternative names.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

2023 c. 32. Section 33A was inserted by section 1(2) of the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24).

(2)

“Foreign power threat activity” has the meaning given by section 33 of the National Security Act 2023, as amended by section 4(1) of, and paragraph 24 of the Schedule to, the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026.

(3)

Paragraph (za) was inserted by section 5(2)(b) of the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026.