January 29, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
Brussels, Belgium — The European Union on Thursday agreed to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization”, responding to the force’s role in the deadly crackdown on mass protests in Iran, official statements confirmed.
EU foreign ministers endorsed the designation in a meeting in Brussels, a step described by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as “long overdue” in light of the Guard’s actions against demonstrators.
Under the new designation, the 27-member bloc also adopted visa bans and asset freezes targeting 21 Iranian state entities and officials, including the interior minister, prosecutor general, and regional IRGC commanders, as part of expanded punitive measures.
The designation is largely symbolic, but it reflects deepening European condemnation of Iran’s handling of internal dissent. Tehran has warned that the move may have “destructive consequences.”
Iranian authorities acknowledge that over 3,000 people were killed during protests, asserting the majority were security personnel or bystanders caught in violence, while human rights groups contend the actual toll is significantly higher.
The IRGC, formed after Iran’s 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic’s leadership, controls significant military and economic interests within Iran, and has been previously sanctioned by individual EU states.
France and Italy signaled their support for the listing this week, aligning with similar classifications already enacted by the United States, Canada, and Australia.