The European Union on Thursday agreed to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, a decision taken by foreign ministers of the 27-nation bloc in response to Tehran’s deadly crackdown on mass protests. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen indicated in a verified online post that the step was overdue and reflected the EU’s assessment that the Iranian authorities had violently suppressed public demonstrations. The designation was accompanied by additional restrictive measures, including visa bans and asset freezes on 21 Iranian state entities and officials such as the interior minister, the prosecutor general, and regional commanders linked to the Revolutionary Guard, according to official EU statements released after the meeting.
Diplomatic Impact, Sanctions Expansion, and International Reactions to the IRGC Listing
The move, while described by EU officials as largely symbolic due to existing sanctions already targeting the Revolutionary Guard and its senior leadership, immediately drew a warning from Tehran that it would have damaging consequences. Iranian authorities have acknowledged that more than 3,000 people were killed during the protests, asserting that most of the dead were security personnel or bystanders, while international rights organizations have reported significantly higher figures and documented direct involvement of security forces, including the Revolutionary Guard, in the killings. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stated earlier in the day that diplomatic channels with Iran were still expected to remain open despite the designation. The decision followed a policy shift by France and Italy, with Paris publicly backing the move after previously expressing concern about the safety of Europeans detained in Iran and the preservation of diplomatic engagement. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters in Brussels that the action was intended to end impunity for crimes committed during the repression and to urge Iranian authorities to release detainees, halt executions, restore internet access, and allow Iranians to determine their own future. The designation aligns the EU with similar classifications already adopted by the United States, Canada, and Australia and was welcomed by Israel as a historic step, according to official reactions cited by European diplomats. The EU has previously sanctioned hundreds of Iranian individuals and entities over protest crackdowns and Tehran’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, underscoring a sustained policy of pressure grounded in official statements and verified government actions.