Pressure is mounting within the European Union to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, with leading figures publicly urging the European Commission and member states to take decisive action. The calls follow the brutal crackdown on widespread protests across Iran, sparking renewed scrutiny of the EU’s approach to the regime in Tehran.
David McAllister, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told the German Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that the IRGC “is the central instrument of power” for the current Iranian system, holding it accountable for “severe human rights violations, terror and regional destabilization”. He emphasized that a credible and effective European response necessitates the long-delayed listing, arguing that the regime’s violent suppression of demonstrations underscores the inextricable link between internal repression and external destabilization. McAllister called for a fundamental reassessment of European Iran policy.
Echoing this sentiment, Terry Reintke, co-chair of the Green parliamentary group in the EU Parliament, asserted that member states must demonstrate their solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of protestors by formally identifying the IRGC as a terrorist entity. “Those who execute demonstrators, including children and terrorize their own population should be called and treated as terrorists” she stated to RND. Reintke insisted the EU must unequivocally align itself with those fighting for freedom and democracy within Iran, condemning the violent suppression of dissent by the ruling clerical establishment.
The potential designation carries significant implications, potentially triggering asset freezes, travel bans and other restrictive measures against individuals and entities linked to the IRGC. However, internal divisions and concerns about potential repercussions, including further escalating tensions with Iran and complicating diplomatic channels, have historically hampered such a move. The current wave of protests and ensuing violence, however, appears to be intensifying the political will within the EU to finally adopt a harder line against the Iranian regime. The debate now centers on the timing and the scope of any subsequent sanctions.