A former Defence Secretary has called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be proscribed so the UK can “treat them like the terrorists they are”. Ben Wallace warned of "pretty dangerous territory" to come if action against Iran is not seen through.

When asked if the UK government should now proscribe the IRGC, he said: “I think so. I think we've seen the IRGC for too long reach way out of the realms of a conventional force and into terrorism and into disrupting our friends and our allies around.

“The IRGC will be active in Yemen, helping support the Houthis, attack our friends, the Saudi Arabians and our other allies in the region, the UAE. And we should treat them like the terrorists they are.”

Mr Wallace insisted it was vital that action against the IRGC is now seen through after the United States joined Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “If I'd been sitting doing the job as I used to do and I was sitting with the prime minister, the real question we should be asking ourselves, if this is going to happen, does it get seen through?

"There's no point starting down this path if it's done by half. And that's the big question for the intelligence assessors right now...If it was successful, then many of us, including myself would say, well, it was worth it. If it isn't, it's going to be pretty dangerous territory for the next few months and years, because I suspect what you'll do is harden the regime and bring the Iranian people together rather than disperse them.”

The Home Secretary on Monday decided to proscribe Palestine Action and will lay an order before Parliament next week to make membership and support for the protest group illegal.

Yvette Cooper confirmed the move after Palestine Action vandalised two planes inside RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Friday.

Protesters have clashed with police at a demonstration in support of Palestine Action as the Government moves to ban the group.

The Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was “shocked” by the planned protest and described Palestine Action as an “organised extremist criminal group”.