Iran Parliament Speaker Declares EU Militaries Terrorist Groups After IRGC Listing
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran now considers all EU militaries terrorist groups after EU ministers voted to list the IRGC.
Overview
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, announced Sunday that Iran now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist groups under Article 7 of a 2019 law after EU foreign ministers voted to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, officials said.
The EU decision follows a nationwide protest movement that began Dec. 28 and a deadly crackdown, with the Human Rights Activists News Agency confirming 6,713 deaths and Iranian authorities reporting at least 3,117 fatalities, records show.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the political agreement and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said 'repression cannot go unanswered,' while EU foreign ministers approved a new sanctions package targeting Iranian officials, officials said.
The move builds on prior designations with the United States having labeled the IRGC a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019 and Canada doing so in June 2024, records show.
The EU will need a unanimous vote by all 27 member states to make the terrorist listing legally binding, and Germany said it would move rapidly to implement the designation, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Iran's declaration as a mostly symbolic, retaliatory act and emphasize escalation risk. Editorial choices — terms like "lashing out" and "mostly symbolic", foregrounding a live-fire drill and Trump's possible strike — stress threat and performative nationalism. Source content (e.g., Qalibaf quotes, chants of "Death to America") provides raw evidence.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Article 7 allows Iran to designate the armed forces of countries that label the IRGC as a terrorist organization as terrorist groups themselves.
The EU designated the IRGC in response to Iran's deadly crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests starting December 28, with thousands of deaths reported.
It enables EU member states to detain IRGC members entering the EU, requires banks to freeze IRGC-associated funds, and adds to existing sanctions like asset freezes and visa bans.
The United States (April 2019), Canada (June 2024), and Australia had previously listed the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
The EU foreign ministers reached a political agreement, but it requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states to become legally binding; Germany plans rapid implementation.
History
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