In a recent interview, he warned that Iranian agents pose a threat to Britain’s Jewish community and Iranian dissidents in the UK. He highlighted Iran’s efforts to support radical Shia clerics and expressed concern over the IRGC’s surveillance and intimidation tactics against opposition movements and diaspora communities.  

Dearlove emphasized that the IRGC's influence extends beyond espionage, potentially fueling radicalization and organizing demonstrations that intimidate British Jews. He suspects Iranian agents may be involved in aggressive anti-Israel protests in the UK, though he lacks direct evidence. He also noted that certain Shia communities and mosques in London appear to be aligned with Iran’s agenda, furthering Tehran’s influence.  

The former spy chief expressed disgust at the British government’s lenient stance on pro-Hamas demonstrations, calling them intimidating and dangerous. He criticized authorities for not taking stronger action, arguing that the UK should follow France’s lead and ban such protests. 

Dearlove sees Iran as the key destabilizing force in the Middle East and remains baffled by Britain’s reluctance to proscribe the IRGC.  

The IRGC’s reach extends to assassination plots targeting Iranian dissidents abroad. Dearlove pointed to a foiled attempt to murder two Iranian journalists in the UK and a similar plot against Masih Alinejad, an outspoken critic of Iran, in the United States. Both incidents, he argues, underscore the IRGC’s role as a global terror organization committed to silencing dissent through violence and intimidation.  

Given the IRGC’s repeated attempts to eliminate dissidents and its broader destabilizing activities, Dearlove believes its designation as a terrorist organization is long overdue. He questions whether the UK will act preemptively or wait until an assassination is carried out on British soil before taking decisive action.