IRIA News

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The European Union has agreed to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, ending years of internal division and escalating pressure on Tehran amid ongoing protests.

EU foreign ministers reached a political agreement on January 29, 2026, during talks in Brussels, marking a significant shift in the bloc’s approach toward Iran’s powerful paramilitary force, which has played a central role in suppressing dissent across the country.

“Repression cannot go unanswered,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on X, confirming the decision. “EU Foreign Ministers just took the decisive step of designating Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.”

The designation carries concrete legal implications across the EU, including asset freezes and a criminal ban on providing any financial or material support to the IRGC.

Hannah Neumann, chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Iran, described the move as long overdue. “This listing is not merely symbolic,” she said in a statement. “It carries very concrete legal consequences: assets are frozen, and any financial or material support becomes a criminal offence.”

Iran’s security forces are responsible for mass killings.

Today, we are imposing new sanctions on those directly responsible for the violent crackdown on protests that has killed thousands.

I also expect that Foreign Ministers will take a political decision for the EU to… pic.twitter.com/P6Rj1bM3HR

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 29, 2026

Alongside the terror designation, the EU imposed sanctions on 15 Iranian government officials and six organizations for their role in what it described as “serious human rights violations” linked to the repression of protesters.

Those listed include Iran’s interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, several IRGC commanders, and senior police and law enforcement officials. Sanctioned entities include the Iranian Audio-Visual Media Regulatory Authority and multiple software companies accused of supporting censorship, online trolling campaigns, disinformation efforts, and internet disruptions.

With the latest measures, the EU has now sanctioned 247 individuals and 50 entities over human rights abuses in Iran. Separate asset freezes and travel bans remain in place against Iranian individuals and organizations linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Protests in Iran

Iran has faced sustained unrest following waves of protests triggered by economic hardship, currency collapse, and broader political grievances. Demonstrations that began at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar spread to cities nationwide.

Iranian authorities acknowledge that several people and security officials have been killed during the protests, while some sources place the death toll at over 3,000.

Iran claims most were security personnel or bystanders. Western Human rights groups dispute that figure, with some estimates suggesting more than 30,000 people may have been killed during the latest crackdown.

Rights organizations say the government has launched a “revenge” campaign, with doctors and healthcare workers reportedly facing death sentences for treating severely injured protesters.

Shift in EU Position

The EU designation became possible after France dropped its long-standing opposition. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X: “The unbearable repression of the peaceful uprising of the Iranian people cannot go unanswered.”

France and several other member states had previously resisted the move, citing concerns that it could close diplomatic channels and endanger European citizens in Iran. Belgium had raised similar concerns, but last year included support for the designation in its coalition agreement.

Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot said his country supported the decision “particularly in light of the atrocities and repression that have been observed in recent weeks.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement, calling it “long overdue” and saying the term “terrorist” was appropriate for a regime that crushes protests “in blood.”

Iran Condemns Decision

Tehran reacted angrily, accusing the EU of inflaming regional tensions. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi called the designation a “major strategic mistake.”

“Several countries are presently attempting to avert the eruption of all-out war in our region,” Araghchi wrote on X. “Europe is instead busy fanning the flames.”

He accused European governments of hypocrisy, arguing that they had failed to act over Israel’s war in Gaza while claiming to defend human rights in Iran. Araghchi warned that Europe itself would suffer from any broader conflict, citing potential spikes in energy prices and economic fallout.

Iran’s armed forces also condemned the decision, calling it “illogical, irresponsible, and spite-driven.”

Several countries are presently attempting to avert the eruption of all-out war in our region. None of them are European.

Europe is instead busy fanning the flames. After pursuing 'snapback' at the behest of the U.S., it is now making another major strategic mistake by…

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) January 29, 2026

In a statement, the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said the designation reflected “blind obedience” to the United States and Israel and constituted a violation of international law and national sovereignty.

“The IRGC has always been a legal and powerful institution,” the statement said, warning that the consequences of the decision would fall “directly on the shoulders of European policymakers.”

US Pressure and Regional Tensions

The EU move comes amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program, warning of possible military action if talks fail.

Earlier this month, Trump said a “massive armada” was heading toward the region, ready to act “with speed and violence if necessary.” Axios reported that the Trump administration is hosting senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia this week for talks on Iran.

Trump later held back from immediate strikes following calls for restraint from Gulf states and warnings from Israel that it needed more time to prepare for possible reprisals.

Russia, which has strengthened ties with Iran since invading Ukraine, warned against any military escalation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Any forceful actions can only create chaos in the region and lead to very dangerous consequences.”

IRGC Background

Founded after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution, the IRGC is an elite force loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Separate from Iran’s regular army, it controls around 150,000 ground troops and maintains its own naval and air forces.

The IRGC was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019, Canada in 2024, and Australia in 2025.

The EU decision also renews pressure on the British government, which has not formally proscribed the IRGC. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has pledged new legislation to allow the proscription of state organizations without relying on existing terrorism laws.

“The scale of the truly brutal, horrendous actions in Iran means that we should stand together in condemnation,” Cooper told MPs earlier this month.

A spokesperson for the prime minister’s office said the UK welcomed the EU’s move, while noting that London already has extensive sanctions in place and remains concerned that a formal ban could trigger the expulsion of British diplomats from Tehran.