There have been mixed reactions in Iran over the European Parliament’s call to the EU to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group. While many Iranian civilians have celebrated the decision, the Islamic Republic have been angered by the decision and have threatened a response, Iran International reported on Friday.
Many on social media responded positively to the decision, describing it as “yet another victory for their revolt against the clerical regime”. People celebrated in cities throughout Iran, namely in Saqqez, the hometown of Kurdish Iranian woman Jîna Masha Amini, who’s death at the hands of the morality police sparked the countrywide protests, and the mostly-Kurdish Mahabad. The people lit fireworks in celebration and shared treats, according to videos sent to Iran International.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said that Europe’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation is in fact due to the IRGC’s role in fighting terrorism. Calling Europe part of the “global club of terrorists”, he said that the IRGC is “the world’s largest counter-terrorism institution,” in a tweet on Friday.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf , Iran’s parliament speaker, had a similar view to the decision, saying “If the European Union makes such a decision and lists the Guards as a terrorist organisation, it means that the European Union acts as a supporter of terrorism, because the IRGC is the biggest and most successful anti-terrorist entity.”
Similarly, the army condemned the decision, releasing a statement saying that “The measure of the European Parliament, which claims to be fighting terrorism, against an anti-terrorist institution is out of their desperation and failure in supporting recent riots in Iran.”
On Saturday, the commander of the IRGC said that Europe would face consequences for listing the IRGC as a terror group.
Lawmaker Mohammad Nabavian said “the interests of EU member states, their supporters, their companies, will be threatened no matter where they are located” if Iran’s interests are affected by Europe.
Esmaeil Kousari, IRGC general, said that the plan to “put the IRGC on Europe’s list of terrorist organisations is a US-Israeli conspiracy and there is no logic behind it,” warning “you may not be able to tolerate the consequences.”
The European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution on Thursday advising the inclusion of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the European Union’s terror list.
Britain is also reportedly gearing up to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, and Germany’s foreign minister recently urged the EU to do the same.
