Key Points
- Tehran says the decision is based on domestic counterterrorism legislation, as a reciprocal measure.
- Iranian lawmakers insist the Revolutionary Guards are a formal part of the state armed forces.
- No immediate operational or legal actions against European forces were announced.
ISLAMABAD: Iran on Sunday announced that it now considers the armies of European Union member states to be “terrorist groups”, a direct response to the bloc’s recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
Iran’s tit-for-tat response to the European move has escalated diplomatic tensions between Tehran and European capitals.
The declaration was made by Iran’s parliament leadership, which said the move was grounded in Iranian law allowing reciprocal action against foreign military forces deemed hostile to the country’s security institutions.
Iranian lawmakers reiterated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is an official component of Iran’s armed forces and plays a central role in national defence, according to informational media reports.
Earlier, the European Union’s decision to list the Revolutionary Guards was taken after prolonged internal debate and was linked to concerns over Iran’s internal security policies, regional activities and human rights record.
The designation expands existing sanctions and places legal restrictions on engagement with the corps and its affiliates within the European Union.
In Tehran, speaking to state media, lawmakers described the European action as unlawful and politically motivated, arguing that it undermines international norms governing states’ armed forces. During the parliamentary session, they stated that European militaries would henceforth be treated under Iranian law in the same category as groups designated by Iran as terrorist entities.
Iranian authorities did not immediately announce specific operational or legal measures arising from the declaration, and the move was framed as a formal political and legal response rather than an immediate change to military posture.
European officials have yet to issue a unified response. However, the declaration is expected to further strain already fragile diplomatic ties at a time when relations between Iran and Western states remain tense over regional security, sanctions and nuclear-related disputes.
