Brussels, Belgium – The Council of the European Union has officially designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, a move that includes freezing its assets and prohibiting any funding or economic resources for it within EU member states.
In a statement issued on Thursday, February 19, the Council explained that the decision complements the political agreement reached during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on January 29. It confirmed that the IRGC is now subject to restrictive measures under the EU’s counter-terrorism sanctions regime.
Strict financial procedures
Under the decision, all funds, assets, and economic resources belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are blocked within the EU. Furthermore, any European economic entity is prohibited from providing it with direct or indirect funds or resources.
The Council noted that the EU’s list of terrorist entities currently includes 13 individuals and 23 groups and entities subject to similar restrictive measures.
Hardline European stances
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on the X platform that “repression cannot go unanswered,” adding that any regime that kills thousands of its citizens is headed for its own demise.
For his part, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that the political agreement on the designation was fully reached. Only the completion of technical procedures remained.
Iranian response and criticism
In response, the Iranian Ministry of Defense condemned the decision, calling it a “malicious reaction,” and asserting that designating a part of the state’s institutions as a terrorist organization is “meaningless” and that national sovereignty is indivisible.
The European decision comes amid similar international moves. The United States and several Western countries have already designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization in recent years, based on accusations of its role in suppressing protests domestically and supporting armed activities abroad.
