EU Blacklists Iran’s IRGC As Terror Group Amid Deadly Protest Crackdown, Tehran Slams Move

Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 22:05 IST

The EU designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group over violent protest crackdowns.

Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC) IRGC/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS.

The European Union has formally added Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organisations, citing Tehran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests that erupted in recent weeks.

Announcing the decision in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had taken a “decisive step" because “repression cannot go unanswered". She said the move places the IRGC on the same footing as jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Human rights organisations estimate that thousands of protesters were killed by Iranian security forces, including units linked to the IRGC, during weeks of unrest in December and January. The protests were met with live ammunition, mass arrests and an internet blackout that has made independent verification difficult.

Speaking alongside Kallas, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the crackdown as “the most violent repression in Iran’s modern history," adding that there could be “no impunity for the crimes committed."

France had earlier been hesitant to support blacklisting the IRGC, fearing it could sever remaining diplomatic ties with Tehran. That stance shifted this week, with Paris backing a push led by Italy to formally designate the force.

Despite the move, Kallas said she expected diplomatic channels with Iran to remain open. Groups placed on the EU’s terror list face sweeping sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, aimed at dismantling their support networks.

Also Read: Putin Raises Iran Tensions With UAE President Amid Violent Protests

Tehran lashes out at Europe

Iran reacted angrily to the decision. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Europe of hypocrisy and stoking regional instability.

In a strongly worded post on X, Araghchi said several countries were trying to prevent an all-out war in the Middle East, “none of them European." He accused Europe of “fanning the flames" by designating Iran’s national military force as a terrorist organisation, while taking “zero action" over Israel’s war in Gaza. The move, he said, showed Europe was “an actor in severe decline" and acting against its own interests as the region edged closer to wider conflict.

IRGC’s role and new sanctions

Formed after Iran’s 1979 revolution, the IRGC is the country’s most powerful armed force, with an estimated 190,000 active personnel and capabilities spanning land, air and sea. It also oversees Iran’s strategic weapons programme and exerts influence abroad by backing allied governments and armed groups. Domestically, it controls the Basij militia, which has been central to crushing dissent.

Alongside the IRGC designation, the EU imposed new sanctions on six entities and 15 individuals, including Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad and judge Iman Afshari, accusing them of involvement in violent repression and arbitrary arrests.

Australia, Canada and the United States have already designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, though the group has not been formally proscribed in the UK.

Rising regional tensions

The EU’s move comes amid escalating tensions with Washington. US President Donald Trump recently warned that a “massive armada" was moving towards Iran and said time was running out for Tehran to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme. He threatened an attack “far worse" than previous US strikes if talks failed.

Iranian officials responded defiantly. Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces were ready to respond “immediately and powerfully" to any aggression, while army chief Amir Hatami warned of a “crushing response" and announced the deployment of new drones.

Araghchi is due to visit Turkey on Friday, where Ankara has said it is ready to help defuse tensions through dialogue.

Also Read: Iran Says ‘Open To Talks’ With US If Negotiations ‘Genuine’ Amid Trump’s Renewed Threats

Death toll disputed

Assessing the scale of Iran’s crackdown remains difficult. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has confirmed more than 6,300 deaths, mostly protesters, while the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group believes the final toll could exceed 25,000. Iranian authorities acknowledge over 3,100 deaths, but claim most were security personnel or bystanders.

Most international media remain barred from reporting inside Iran, though verified videos show security forces firing live ammunition at crowds — images that have intensified global pressure and now prompted the EU’s toughest move yet against Tehran.

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