TEHRAN — The UK government's decision to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under its new state threats legislation has triggered condemnation from figures across Iran's political and military establishment, extending well beyond the force itself. 

While Tehran denounced the move as a hostile violation of international law, the country's regular army — the Artesh — quickly rallied behind the IRGC, underscoring that London may have targeted not just one military institution but a pillar of the Islamic Republic's state structure.

The immediate reactions raise a broader strategic question: Has the West effectively completed the diplomatic isolation of the IRGC? If so, will that weaken the organization internationally or strengthen its centrality inside Iran while further narrowing Europe's room for engagement?

In a statement published by state media on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced the decision as an "unjustified, irresponsible action," arguing that the IRGC is "an inseparable part of the Islamic Republic's official armed forces" and is responsible for defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.