EU to designate Iran’s IRGC on its terror list
Shafaq News– Brussels
The European Union will list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, with France backing the move, European media outlets reported on Thursday.
According to Euronews, EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels today, with expectations they will approve a new package of sanctions in response to Iran’s crackdown on protests, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and arrests.
In a post on X, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that France will support adding the IRGC to the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations. The move aligns France with Italy and Germany, though formal adoption still requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.
Iran : il ne peut y avoir d’impunité.L’insoutenable répression de la révolte pacifique du peuple iranien ne peut rester sans réponse. Son courage inouï face à la violence qui s'est abattue aveuglément sur lui ne peut rester vain.Avec nos partenaires européens, nous prendrons…
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) January 28, 2026
Until last week, France had remained hesitant to align with a majority of EU countries advocating for the designation, mirroring the approach taken by the United States. Barrot described the repression of Iran’s peaceful protest movement as unacceptable, warning that the determination displayed by demonstrators in the face of violence must not go unanswered. The French presidency had also confirmed that Paris would support adding the IRGC to the EU terrorist list.
Established after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC has grown into a dominant force within Iran, wielding broad influence over the economy and the armed forces, while also overseeing the country’s ballistic missile program and nuclear activities.
