The European Parliament voted in favor of designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) as a terrorist group.
598 members of the parliament voted in favor, while 9 voted against and 31 abstained.
The European Parliament can’t force the European Union to add the IRGC to the terrorist list but it stands as a clear message to Iran.
If designated, it would be a criminal offense in the EU to belong to the IRGC. Its assets would be frozen and it cannot receive funds from citizens or businesses in the EU.
The EU is discussing another round of sanctions against Iran and sources to Reuters said that members of the IRGC will be added to the sanctions list as soon as next week.
Britain is reportedly expected to designate the entire IRGC as a terrorist organization in the coming weeks.
The Parliament is blaming the IRGC for violently repressing Iranian protestors and for supplying Russia with drones being used against Ukraine.
The text condemned “the brutal crackdown by Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on the demonstrations after the death of Mahsa Amini, following her violent arrest, abuse and ill-treatment by Iran’s ‘morality police'”.
Widespread protests have erupted across Iran over the last several months demanding the end of the Iranian Regime after a young Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, died while detained for “improperly” wearing her hijab.
At least hundreds were killed and tens of thousands were arrested. Iran began executing some who were arrested for protesting.
The IRGC has been Iran’s primary way of expanding its reach by propping up proxies across the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. IRGC provides training, funding, and weapons – replicating the structure in Lebanon with Hezbollah, across the region.
