EU assembly: Clear the way in which for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to be categorised as terrorists | EUROtoday

As of: January 29, 2026 8:35 a.m

There has been dialogue within the EU for years about classifying the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group. Today may very well be the day: France has given up its blockade. New sanctions also needs to be determined.

Europe’s overseas ministers need to improve the stress on the Islamist authorities in Iran with new sanctions. At their assembly in the present day in Brussels, it additionally appears doable for the primary time to agree on an extra step that has lengthy been controversial: classifying Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group.

Iranian opposition members had repeatedly demanded this from the Europeans. Among different issues, the Revolutionary Guards are thought-about to have performed a key function within the brutal suppression of the protests. Since December there have been large protests towards the management within the nation.

France offers in

France had lengthy opposed classifying the Revolutionary Guards as terrorists – out of concern for French residents who had been nonetheless in Iran. In the night, nevertheless, a turning level turned obvious. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot mentioned the suppression of the peaceable opposition was insufferable. He introduced that he would help placing the Revolutionary Guard on Europe’s checklist of terrorist organizations.

Most different EU international locations had already spoken out in favor of this, together with Germany. Unanimity is required for in the present day’s choice.

Classifying the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group has been mentioned within the EU for years. The classification is taken into account symbolically important, even when it could most likely have little sensible influence attributable to current sanctions.

“The Iranians are looking at us”

EU overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas mentioned this morning that she anticipated the Revolutionary Guards to be added to the checklist of terrorist organizations in the present day. This places them “on the same level as Al-Qaeda, Hamas and IS.” Anyone who acts as a terrorist “should also be treated as a terrorist,” Kallas additional argued.

Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was additionally optimistic in regards to the classification of the Revolutionary Guards, as Italy now additionally helps the undertaking. “We as Europeans will hold those responsible for these heinous crimes accountable. We will be adopting a whole series of new sanctions against them in the EU,” he informed the Bild newspaper.

EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote on social media that night: “The millions of Iranians living under oppression look to us in the hope of moral clarity and leadership. The thousands who were murdered in the streets deserve at least some semblance of justice.”

Elite power with nice affect

The Revolutionary Guards had been based after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 to guard the Shiite system of rule. They have nice affect within the nation and management giant elements of the financial system and the armed forces in addition to the missile and nuclear packages.

With info from Helga Schmidt, ARD Brussels