The European Union has designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization in response to the extremely violent crackdown on recent demonstrations that left thousands dead. The EU foreign ministers gave the political green light for this on Thursday.
In addition, the Union is blacklisting a number of individuals and other institutions from Iran. This includes officials involved in suppressing the demonstrations, such as Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. Persons on a sanctions list are not allowed to travel to the EU and any assets in the EU are frozen.
If you act like a terrorist, you should be treated like a terrorist
The Revolutionary Guards, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of the meeting, are being treated the same as al-Qaeda, Hamas and Islamic State. “If you act like a terrorist, you should also be treated like a terrorist. It is clear what we see here: the number of deaths among demonstrators in Iran and the measures taken by the regime were very serious. That is why we are sending the clear message that oppressing people has consequences and you will be sanctioned for it.”
Garde is the backbone of the regime
The placing of the Guard on the terror list ends a long debate in Europe about the military organization that was created to protect the 1979 Iranian revolution and became the backbone of the regime. Proponents of listing, such as the Netherlands and Germany, repeatedly pointed out the undemocratic aspects of the regime. The demonstrations earlier this month and the violence used against demonstrators added urgency to their pleas. Outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs David van Weel (VVD) spoke of “beastly violence in which peaceful demonstrators were simply mowed down and slaughtered in large numbers.”
Opponents, such as France, previously did not consider it necessary to designate the Guard as a terrorist organization because members of the organization are already subject to a different sanctions regime. Moreover, opponents feared repercussions. The Revolutionary Guard is not just part of the Iranian state apparatus, the Guard is essentially the Iranian regime. France and Italy changed tack in response to the recent violence.
It was said that inclusion on the terror list would complicate diplomatic relations. It is not clear whether things will progress that quickly. The Iranian Foreign Minister is not a member of the Guard and is not on the terror list. Contact with him therefore remains possible, according to van Weel.
Attention turns to American fleet
It remains to be seen whether Iran itself will cut off contacts. Van Weel: “If they do that, they will only isolate themselves further. That is not in their interests. That is not my biggest concern. It is now Iran’s turn. I hope that they now use their channels with the US wisely to reach an agreement. All alternatives are only worse for the regime.”
When it comes to Iran, attention is now shifting from the demonstrations and their extremely violent end to the rapid convergence of American warships in the region and to threats from US President Donald Trump. “I especially hope that America will further increase the pressure,” said van Weel. “That is also the main reason that the armada is there now. I hope it will make a difference. If that doesn’t happen, the United States will not hesitate to threaten with force. I think it is still too early to speculate about that.”
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Concerns about Ukraine are growing rapidly
In addition, Kallas stated, concerns about Ukraine are increasing rapidly. Apparently there is little progress in peace talks and Russia is constantly attacking Ukraine’s energy supply. Kallas has little confidence in the talks that the US, Ukraine and Russia are conducting these days in Abu Dhabi. “On the Russian side there are only military personnel who have no mandate to agree to anything, which means that they do not seriously want peace. On the contrary. They bomb the Ukrainians and put them in the freezing cold so that they surrender. There is a threat of a humanitarian catastrophe.”
The year has gotten off to a bad start and the prospects are not good either. The rules-based international order is under pressure and, Kallas said somewhat subdued, Atlantic relations “are not what they used to be.”
During a joint breakfast, the ministers looked ahead to the rest of the year that has gotten off to such a tumultuous start. Van Weel didn’t want to reveal much about that, except that everyone at the table said: “What a year.”
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