Thousands attend rally in London in support of hunger striker Vahid Beheshti

Campaigner hopes to pressure the UK to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organisation

Vahid Beheshti is on a hunger strike in London. Victoria Pertusa/ The National

Thousands of people attended a rally in London on Saturday in support of Vahid Beheshti, who is on hunger strike against the Iranian government.

British-Iranian Mr Beheshti, 45, hopes to bring pressure on the UK to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

He is no longer able to walk after 66 days on a diet of water, coffee and a handful of sugar cubes.

“Today, there will be a big rally in London where thousands of British, Ukrainian and Iranian citizens will be calling on @RishiSunak to uphold his pledge to proscribe the IRGC,” he wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

“This is for our safety and security, not only in Britain but also the rest of the world.”

This week he was invited in to the Foreign Office in central London, where he camps out, to speak to Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, about his protest.

He said Mr Ahmad had told him the government was working on the matter, as well as pointing out that it imposed sanctions on four IRGC commanders on Monday.

Born and raised in Iran, campaigner and journalist Mr Beheshti was twice arrested by the IRGC before fleeing to Britain 24 years ago.

The British-Iranian citizen decided to go on hunger strike after he said he witnessed the Iranian government’s efforts to silence freedom of speech in the UK.

Last year, Britain’s domestic spy chief said that Iran has plotted to abduct or kill at least 10 British citizens or people based in the UK.

Iran International, a television station that broadcasts stories critical of the regime, was forced to temporarily close its London office this year after journalists were threatened by the IRGC.