Iran security chief warns EU armies could be deemed ‘terrorist’ after IRGC designation

ISTANBUL

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani on Friday warned that European armies could be designated as “terrorist” under Iranian law following the EU’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

In a post on US social media company X, Larijani said the EU “certainly knows” that under a resolution adopted by Iran’s parliament, the armed forces of countries that took part in the recent EU move against the IRGC would themselves be considered terrorist organizations.

“The European Union certainly knows that, in accordance with a resolution of the Iranian parliament, the armies of countries that participated in the recent EU decision against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will be considered terrorist,” Larijani said.

He added that “the consequences of such an action will therefore fall on the European countries that took this step.”

The warning came a day after EU foreign ministers reached a political agreement to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, a move announced by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who said the decision was taken in response to what she described as repression by Iranian authorities.

Iran on Thursday accused the EU of “fanning the flames” of regional tensions, saying Europe was escalating the situation by targeting Iran’s national military force and acting in line with US pressure, amid warnings of broader regional fallout.

The remarks come as tensions have escalated between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks, following US President Donald Trump’s statements that a “massive armada” was moving toward Iran, alongside his call for Tehran to “come to the table” for negotiations.

Iranian officials have warned that any US attack would draw a “swift and comprehensive” response, while reiterating that Tehran remains open to talks only under what it describes as “fair, balanced and noncoercive terms.”