EU Armies Designated as Terrorist Groups by Iran in Retaliation

Iran Declares European Armies ‘Terrorist Groups’ Following EU Designation of IRGC

In a move following a decision by the European Union to label the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organisation”, Iran has declared European armies “terrorist groups”. According to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the designation was made under Article 7 of the Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organisation.

On Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the bloc’s decision to designate the IRGC, stating that repression could not be “unanswered”. The United States-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed 6,713 deaths during nationwide protests in Iran, which began on December 28 and have since evolved into a challenge to the government.

Iranian authorities have reported at least 3,117 fatalities, including 2,427 described as innocent protesters or security forces. Internet and mobile access were cut off by the state across Iran on January 8 during the height of the protests. The IRGC is a branch of Iran’s military, established after the 1979 Iranian revolution.

The move comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US, with President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening military strikes. Iranian officials have warned that any attack would draw a “comprehensive” response. Iran has also planned a live-fire military drill for Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a significant portion of oil traded passes.

The EU’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation was made under Article 7 of the Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organisation.

Source: Al Jazeera