On January 29, 2026, the European Union officially designated Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, marking a major shift in the bloc’s foreign policy. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas announced that the 27 member states reached a unanimous decision to put the elite force on the same footing as groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Kallas delivered a stern warning during the announcement in Brussels, stating that any regime that “kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise.” The decision was accompanied by a fresh round of sanctions targeting 15 Iranian officials, including Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and top IRGC commanders, as well as several state entities accused of orchestrating a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters that has reportedly resulted in over 6,300 deaths.
This designation signals a significant escalation in international pressure, as the EU joins the United States and Canada in formally labeling the IRGC a terrorist entity. The move comes amid heightened military tensions in West Asia, where the U.S. has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln and guided-missile destroyers following threats of military action from President Donald Trump. In response, Iran has warned of potential retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases and Israel, and has announced live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz for the coming week. These drills involve “naval shooting” in a strategic waterway that handles 20% of the world’s oil supply, raising global fears of a maritime blockade and a wider regional conflict.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS