Israel urges India to designate Iran's IRGC as terror group, impose sanctions

UPDATED: May 26, 2026 21:44 IST

Amid continuing regional tensions and a fragile ceasefire with Iran, senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem have urged India to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation and impose sanctions against it.

During interactions with top officials in Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israeli authorities told India Today that Israel has repeatedly raised concerns with New Delhi over what it describes as the IRGC's growing regional and international footprint, including alleged threats extending beyond West Asia.

Israeli officials pointed out that several countries have already taken action against the IRGC and expect India to consider similar measures. According to them, Israel has shared assessments with Indian counterparts at multiple diplomatic levels regarding the activities and influence of the Iranian military organisation.

"One of our expectations from India is action against the IRGC. Many countries have already moved in that direction," a senior Israeli official said during the interaction.

Israeli officials also referred to recent moves by countries such as Australia and members of the European Union that imposed restrictions and sanctions linked to the IRGC. They argued that concerns over the organisation are no longer limited to the Middle East and have become part of a wider global security debate.

The issue gains significance as India continues to maintain strategic ties with both Israel and Iran. Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited India and described ties between New Delhi and Tehran as strong and longstanding.

Israeli officials also linked the IRGC to the ongoing conflict dynamics involving Iran, Israel and the United States. A fragile ceasefire has remained in place since April following weeks of military escalation that impacted global markets and energy routes in the region.

The officials further claimed that Israel has also raised concerns with India regarding Hamas after the 7 October 2023 attacks. While India strongly condemned the attacks, New Delhi has so far not designated either Hamas or the IRGC as terrorist organisations.

Israeli authorities maintain that weakening the IRGC remains one of the key strategic objectives behind Israel's military operations and diplomatic outreach linked to Iran.

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