Rhetorical symbolism? Iran declares EU armies to be "terrorist groups"
The escalation spiral continues: following the EU decision against the Revolutionary Guards, Tehran is now declaring Europe's armies to be terrorists. Iran's parliament responds with threatening gestures.
01.02.2026, 08:16
SDA
In response to the European Union's decision to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, Iran is now classifying the armies of EU member states as terrorist groups.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, referring to Article 7 of the Iranian Countermeasures Act of 2019, explained that the legal consequences of this classification lie with the European Union. It was not clear from Ghalibaf's speech what this means for Switzerland.
On Thursday, the European Union decided to classify the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization due to their bloody actions against the recent mass protests. The decision is seen as a symbolic step that is likely to have little practical significance due to existing sanctions. The listing of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization has been discussed in the EU for years.
"Europe wants to satisfy its master, namely America, with these measures," said Ghalibaf, according to the Iranian news agency Isna. Members of parliament wore Revolutionary Guards uniforms out of solidarity. Some politicians shouted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" with raised fists, as can be seen on videos from Iranian media.
The Revolutionary Guards are Iran's elite fighting force
In 2019, under President Donald Trump, the USA became the first country in the world to classify the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Shortly afterwards, Iran's parliament passed a law with countermeasures and possible steps for future classifications, as the EU did last week.
The Revolutionary Guards are Iran's elite fighting force and far superior to the regular army. In recent decades, the force has not only undergone a massive military build-up, but has also expanded its social and economic influence - for example by acquiring stakes in hotel chains and airlines.
