A push to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization advanced Thursday as the European Union (EU) moved to formally prescribe the group, with Germany saying that implementation would move quickly. The decision comes amid mounting evidence of mass killings, arrests, and repression tied to Iran’s ongoing protest crackdown.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement, pairing the designation with a new round of sanctions targeting Iranian officials and entities. “I welcome the political agreement on new sanctions against the murderous Iranian regime,” von der Leyen wrote. “And on the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. This was long overdue.” She added, “‘Terrorist’ is indeed how you call a regime that crushes its own people’s protests in blood.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the next step would be swift legal enforcement. “The next step will be the rapid implementation towards a legally binding listing,” he said, describing the move as a strong signal against repression. Wadephul accused the IRGC and affiliated forces of using extreme violence against protesters, conducting executions, and destabilizing the broader Middle East.
The French parliament passed a resolution urging the EU to designate the IRGC as a terror organization in January of last year; however, it was not acted upon by the bloc.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 6,373 fatalities have been confirmed since Dec. 28, with another 17,091 deaths under review. The group also reported continued communication restrictions and a “post-crackdown phase” marked by arrests and security pressure.
Reuters reported that EU foreign ministers approved additional sanctions against Iranian interior officials, senior IRGC commanders, judges, police chiefs, and cyber officials linked to censorship and surveillance. Some were also sanctioned for supporting Russia.
The United States designated the IRGC a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2019, followed by Canada in 2024. Advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran praised the EU decision, urging rapid action and broader adoption.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected the move, calling the IRGC “one of the strongest and most effective anti-terrorism forces in the world.”
