TEHRAN: Iran has issued a warning to European Union member states following a landmark decision in Brussels that could further strain already fragile relations between Iran and the West.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran would treat the armed forces of European countries as “terrorist groups” if those countries supported the European Union’s move to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
In this sense, the statement came days after the EU signaled a symbolic but politically charged shift in its policy toward Tehran by placing the IRGC on its terrorism list. The move followed months of unrest in Iran and one of the most severe crackdowns on protests since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Qalibaf, addressing fellow members of parliament who appeared in IRGC uniforms as a show of solidarity, strongly criticized European governments, accusing them of acting against their own interests.
He said the decision reflected “blind obedience” to the United States rather than an independent European policy.
Qalibaf stated that countries taking action against the IRGC would face reciprocal measures. Under that provision, he said, the armed forces of EU nations involved would be officially regarded by Iran as terrorist entities.
The parliament speaker revealed that Iran’s national security and foreign policy commission would begin deliberations on possible responses.
The issue is expected to be pursued in coordination with Iran’s foreign ministry, indicating that Tehran may be preparing a broader political and diplomatic response rather than a purely symbolic one.
The IRGC, established in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution to safeguard Iran’s political system, holds significant influence within the country. For now, Iranian officials appear determined to project unity and resolve. But how far Tehran is willing to go and how Europe will respond remains unclear.
