Defense Ministry condemns EU’s move in blacklisting IRGC

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics stated that the European Union’s decision to place the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on its so-called terrorist list is a spiteful, hasty, and desperate response to its repeated failures to undermine the determination of the noble Iranian nation against external threats orchestrated by foreign agents.

The statement added, “This action by the EU and its Council of Ministers, which targets Iran's beloved and powerful IRGC— the largest entity genuinely fighting terrorism and preventing the spread of this ominous phenomenon worldwide, including in Europe—is legally inconsistent with international law. These inconsistencies include violations of the fundamental legal principles and rules upon which the European Union was founded, and from which it derives its international credibility.”

“If we accept that the EU, as a regional organization, gains its credibility in the international community according to Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, it must also adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of nations, as laid out in Article 2(7) of the UN Charter and supported by customary international law,” it noted.

The ministry further emphasized, “It is clear that the IRGC, as one of the sovereign pillars based on the principles of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, is an integral part of the country’s sovereignty. By criminalizing and making unfounded accusations in this matter, the European Union has committed two fundamental violations: First, criminalizing a nation’s sovereignty is baseless; and second, ‘sovereignty’ is a unified and independent entity that, under international law, cannot be fragmented, with one part labeled as terrorist.”

“This European misstep, which follows the recent activation of the snapback mechanism, highlights the European Union’s confusion within the international system. According to the US National Security Strategy, this system is teetering on the brink of civilizational collapse. The decision made by the Council of Ministers of the European Union not only reveals legal contradictions and ambiguities but also demonstrates political confusion and a disregard for human values,” the statement added.

The ministry emphasized, “The EU, as an institution formed through indirect elections and possessing the least political legitimacy within the Union, has diminished its functional legitimacy by making this political decision. Moreover, it has committed widespread violations of the human rights of Iranians, infringing upon their right to freedom and their acquired rights.”/irna