Brussels, Jan 30 (V7N) — The European Union (EU) has designated Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as a terrorist organization, placing it alongside groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. The decision was confirmed on Thursday by the EU’s foreign affairs chief, Kaza Kalas, via social media.

Kalas said, “A regime that kills its own citizens is paving the way for its own destruction. The atrocities cannot be allowed to continue.”

Alongside the IRGC, the EU imposed sanctions on 15 individuals and six entities, including Iranian Interior Minister Eskandhar Momeni and Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad. The measures include asset freezes and travel bans.

Iran strongly opposed the move. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called it a “strategic mistake” and warned that the country’s armed forces are “ready with their finger on the trigger”.

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions, with US President Donald Trump dispatching a large fleet to the region and warning that time is running out to negotiate the Iran nuclear deal.

The IRGC, formed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, wields extensive control over Iran’s military, economic, and missile-nuclear programs.

END/SMA/AJ