Blacklist demand

MEMBERS of the European Parliament have called for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the IRGC to be blacklisted in Europe in a statement on Wednesday, January 18.

The news comes after the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen called for the IRGC to be classified as a terrorist organisation.

European politicians have been facing increasing pressure to take action in the wake of brutalities committed in Iran, particularly against women and women’s rights activists since 22year-old Mahsa Amini was killed by the force last year. Violence against protests has been escalating since. Several politicians have expressed concern that such a move against the IRGC would dampen hopes of resurrecting the 2015 nuclear arms deal with the country.

Iranian officials reacted to the news with hostility, saying they would designate EU armies as terrorists in response.

MEPs only have an advisory role on such matters but the call is thought to be a key demand in ongoing sanction talks.