LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA): The European Union has officially designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, following a decision by the Foreign Affairs Council. The move places the IRGC under EU counterterrorism sanctions, including asset freezes and a ban on providing funds or economic resources within member states. In total, 13 individuals and 23 organizations are now subject to restrictive measures under the EU’s terrorist list. The Council emphasized that this regime, established under Common Position 2001/931/CFSP, is distinct from the EU framework implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions targeting Al-Qaida and ISIL/Da’esh. The EU also retains the ability to autonomously apply restrictive measures against groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The decision has drawn international reactions. The Board of Deputies of British Jews welcomed the move and urged the United Kingdom to adopt a similar stance. Senior Vice President Adrian Cohen stated: “The Board of Deputies has welcomed the decision by the European Union to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and has renewed its call for the UK Government to take equivalent action without further delay.”
Strategically, the designation places the IRGC alongside Al-Qaida and ISIL, signaling that the EU views the Guard not as a legitimate state institution but as a transnational actor of repression and violence. The sanctions severely restrict the IRGC’s ability to operate economically in Europe, while also complicating EU-Iran relations.
Analysts warn that Tehran may retaliate by limiting European business activity in Iran and reducing cooperation on regional security. The move aligns EU policy more closely with Washington, strengthening transatlantic coordination but heightening risks of further polarization in the Middle East.
