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4d ago

EU Poised to List Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as Terrorist Group After French U-Turn

The step is largely symbolic given extensive existing EU sanctions on senior Guard figures.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas addresses the European Parliament plenary on territorial integrity and sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, in Strasbourg, France January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
The basij paramilitary, a reserve unit subsidiary of the IRGC, during a parade last January
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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Overview

  • EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels signaled political agreement to add the IRGC to the bloc’s terrorist list, according to top diplomat Kaja Kallas.
  • France dropped its long-held resistance to the move, joining Italy and Spain in backing the designation following the deadly protest crackdown in Iran.
  • Any listing requires unanimous approval by all 27 member states and subsequent legal steps before it takes effect.
  • Ministers were also set to adopt a new package of roughly 21 measures, including visa bans and asset freezes on Iranian officials and state entities, with reports indicating the interior minister could be targeted.
  • Kallas said diplomatic channels are expected to remain open, even as rights groups report thousands killed and the ongoing internet blackout hinders verification of the full toll.