Source HT
Brussels / Tehran — The European Union’s formal decision to classify Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation has drawn a blistering response from Tehran, fuelling already heightened tensions across the Middle East and with Washington.
At a key meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday, the bloc agreed to add the IRGC to its terrorism blacklist — placing the elite military branch alongside globally recognised militant groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. The move comes in response to Iran’s violent suppression of widespread domestic protests and growing Western concerns over regional security.
Iranian Leadership Slams Decision as “Spite-Driven” and “Illogical”
Iran’s authorities reacted with fury to the EU’s action. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps condemned the designation as “spite-driven,” “illogical” and politically motivated, accusing European governments of bowing to external pressure rather than pursuing rational diplomacy. Iranian state media and senior commanders labelled the EU decision a profound misstep, warning it could have far-reaching consequences for bilateral relations.
Tehran’s rhetoric echoed broader Iranian government sentiments that Western powers, particularly the United States, are seeking to isolate Iran and undermine its sovereignty. Officials reiterated that the IRGC is a legitimate arm of the nation’s defence establishment, rejecting the legitimacy of the terrorism label. (Earlier statements from past IRGC reactions to European moves also framed such designations as mistakes that would not weaken the force’s resolve.)
Regional Fallout and Wider Geopolitical Strain
Iran’s response has not stopped at rhetoric. Senior advisers to Iran’s Supreme Leader warned that any military action against Iran would be met with immediate and severe retaliation, raising the spectre of escalation in the volatile Middle East. Iranian military leadership even threatened potential strikes against key strategic targets such as Tel Aviv if provoked.
The sharp exchange comes amid a broader backdrop of diplomatic strain with the United States. Tehran has openly rejected talks with Washington in “an atmosphere of threats,” according to Iranian foreign ministry officials, blocking progress on nuclear negotiations and further straining relations.
Western Justifications and EU Policy Shift
European officials justified the terrorism designation by citing the IRGC’s role in the brutal crackdown on dissent, which human rights groups say has cost thousands of lives. The decision unified EU member states after earlier divisions, underscoring a willingness in Brussels to take a harder line with Tehran even at the cost of diplomatic fallout.
The move aligns EU policy more closely with that of the United States, Canada, and Australia — all of which have previously designated the IRGC as a terrorist entity — but signals a significant escalation in European willingness to challenge Iran’s domestic and foreign actions.
Context: The IRGC’s composition and activities — entrenched across political, economic, and military spheres in Iran — make its designation complex and symbolically powerful. While the actual legal impact of the EU decision may be limited by existing sanctions regimes, the political implications for diplomatic engagement and regional stability are profound and unfolding rapidly.
