Iranโs parliament has voted to designate European military forces as โterrorist groupsโ in a retaliatory move following actions in Europe aimed at classifying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
The decision, announced on Sunday, marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Tehran and European governments, as Iran condemned what it described as โhostile and politically motivatedโ steps against the IRGC, a powerful branch of its armed forces.
Iranian lawmakers argued that European countries supporting or pushing for the IRGCโs designation were directly targeting Iranโs sovereignty and national security. As a response, they approved measures branding European armies involved in such actions as terrorist entities, alongside their commanders and affiliated institutions.
Iranโs government warned that the move could have serious diplomatic and security consequences, stressing that any confrontation with the IRGC would be treated as confrontation with the Iranian state itself.
European officials have not issued a unified response, but the development is expected to further strain already fragile relations between Iran and the European Union, which have been under pressure over human rights concerns, Iranโs regional activities, and its nuclear programme.Political analysts say the tit-for-tat designations deepen diplomatic hostilities and reduce the chances of dialogue at a time when tensions in the Middle East and global security concerns are already high.
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