Iran has officially labeled European military forces “terrorist groups” in response to a European Union decision to classify the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, which was sparked by Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests and growing human rights abuses.
The Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, made the announcement on Sunday, based on Article 7 of Iran’s
“Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organisation.”
This law allows Iran to take countermeasures against countries or groups that consider the IRGC a terrorist group.
“Europeans have in fact shot themselves in the foot and, once again, through blind obedience to the Americans, decided against the interests of their own people,”
Ghalibaf said, framing the EU decision as part of a broader Western pressure campaign aligned with Washington.
EU Cites Protest Crackdown and Systematic Repression
The EU’s designation was announced on Thursday by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, who stated that
“Iran’s relentless repression of dissent”
could not “go unanswered.” In a public statement, Kallas stated that Iranian authorities had been using “lethal force against civilians” and “undermining basic freedoms.”
“Any regime that kills thousands of its own citizens is clearly working towards its own destruction,”
she wrote on social media, highlighting the EU’s recognition of the IRGC’s central role in the country’s internal repression, surveillance, and violence.
The move comes after months of internal debate within EU institutions, where some member states had previously been reluctant to designate the IRGC due to the implications of the move, including its effects on nuclear talks.
Conflicting Death Tolls and Communication Blackouts
The extent of the protests and the subsequent repression is in dispute. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) claims to have confirmed 6,713 deaths in the course of the nationwide protests that broke out on December 28 in response to the country’s deteriorating economic situation, including inflation, unemployment, and subsidy reductions, but quickly escalated into a movement against the Iranian political system as a whole.
However, Iranian officials have reported significantly lower numbers, claiming that at least 3,117 people were killed, including 2,427 who were labeled as “innocent” protesters or members of the security forces. Iranian officials have not provided information on the number of arrests, but human rights organizations believe that tens of thousands were arrested, with many of them denied due process.
During the peak of the unrest, the Iranian government imposed drastic digital restrictions. Internet and mobile services were disconnected across the country on the night of January 8. Iran has consistently used this tactic during times of unrest to impede the documentation of human rights abuses. Iran is estimated to have lost billions of dollars in revenue due to internet shutdowns, making it one of the leading offenders globally in digital repression.
The IRGC’s Central Role in Iran’s Power Structure
The IRGC was formed after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and functions as a parallel military force in addition to the regular Iranian military forces but is directly controlled by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It has been in existence for over four decades and has grown to be a powerful political, economic, and military entity.
In addition to its internal security function, the IRGC is responsible for Iran’s regional activities via its Quds Force, which helps to bankroll and support Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. It also dominates huge parts of Iran’s economy, ranging from oil to construction and telecommunications.
The United States has been treating the IRGC as a terrorist group since 2019, while other nations have placed specific sanctions on the group. This action by the EU is one of the most dramatic escalations yet by European nations.
Rising Regional Tensions and Military Posturing
Iran’s retaliatory declaration comes amid weeks of rising regional and international tension, particularly with the United States. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran, while Washington has increased its naval presence in the Middle East, including in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters.
Despite the warlike rhetoric, Trump said on Saturday that Iran was “seriously talking” with the United States, hours after Iran’s top national security official confirmed that arrangements for negotiations were progressing. The parallel signals of diplomacy and confrontation have fueled uncertainty across the region.
Iranian officials have warned that any military attack would provoke a “comprehensive” response. Tehran has also announced live-fire military drills scheduled for Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint through which roughly 20 percent of global oil trade passes each day. Any disruption there could send shockwaves through global energy markets.
Khamenei Warns of Regional War
Speaking on Sunday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any US attack on Iran would rapidly escalate into a broader regional conflict.
“[Trump] regularly says that he brought ships,”
Khamenei said.
“The Iranian nation shall not be scared by these things. The Iranian people will not be stirred by these threats.”
“We are not the initiators and do not want to attack any country,” he added, “but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow against anyone who attacks and harasses them.”
A Deepening Standoff
The EU-Iran standoff reflects a wider collapse in relations, driven by human rights concerns, regional instability, and the erosion of diplomatic trust. As Tehran doubles down on defiance and Brussels expands punitive measures, the confrontation risks further isolating Iran while increasing the likelihood of miscalculation in an already volatile Middle East.
With protest grievances unresolved at home and military tensions rising abroad, Iran now faces pressure on multiple fronts—economic, political, and strategic—at a moment when regional stability remains increasingly fragile.
