EU’s IRGC blacklisting ‘out of desperation', against UN Charter: Iran's President Raeisi

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has condemned an EU move to designate the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, noting that the measure comes due to the “desperation” of Europeans.

Speaking in a cabinet session on Thursday, Raeisi briefly referred to a recent amendment to a resolution by the European Parliament which calls on the EU and its member states to include the IRGC on their terror list.

“This move is out of desperation and it comes after their failed attempts on the streets to deal a blow to Iranian people,” he said, referring to the foreign-backed riots that started in Iran in mid-September 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.

Europe thought that it could "stop the Iranian nation" with such measures, he said

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps is an “official force” and part of Iran’s Armed Forces, Raeisi stressed, adding, “The measure is in contravention of the international law and the UN Charter.”

The remarks come as the European Parliament adopted another resolution on Thursday, calling for more sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities, including Raeisi, as well as putting the IRGC on the EU terrorist list over alleged human rights violations during recent riots.

This is while Iran’s intelligence bodies have found footprints of American and other Western spy agencies in recent violent riots inside Iran which claimed the lives of dozens of people and security forces.

Iran’s Armed Forces warn EU against repercussions of blacklisting IRGC

The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces has condemned the European Parliament’s “desperate” call for the European Union and its member states to place the elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on the bloc’s “terror” list.

Meanwhile, Iran has already warned the EU about blacklisting the IRGC.

In a phone conversation with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described the European Parliament’s move as a “shot in the foot of the EU,” noting that Iran’s Parliament would give a “legal and strong” response to the measure.

He urged the European Parliament to “think about the adverse consequences of its emotional behavior and to focus instead on the path of diplomacy, constructive interaction and rationality.”

The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces also issued a statement on Thursday, noting that the “desperate” call is in violation of all international regulations.

“In addition to being unprecedented in international rules and regulations, the recent move by the European Parliament will affect regional and global security, tranquility and peace, and the European Parliament must be careful about its consequences,” the statement read.

The Wednesday amendment, which was added to an annual foreign policy report, was passed by a vote of 598 in favor and nine against, with 31 abstentions.

It will urge Brussels to blacklist the IRGC military force, the volunteer Basij force, and the IRGC’s Quds Force.

It would also target “any economic and financial activity involving businesses and commercial activities related to, owned, wholly or in part, by, or fronting for, the IRGC or IRGC-affiliated individuals, regardless of their country of operation.”

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