Tehran: Iran has officially declared the armed forces of European Union member states as a terrorist organization. This decision comes as a direct response to the EU's designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group. According to Thai News Agency, the Iranian Parliament convened a session where Speaker Mohammad Bagher Galibaf addressed the members, who were all dressed in the IRGC's green uniforms as a show of solidarity. Galibaf criticized the EU's decision, made on January 29th, as harmful to the Iranian population and dismissive of American principles. He announced that Iran would implement Article 7 of the Countermeasures Act to reciprocate by labeling European military forces as terrorist organizations. Furthermore, Galibaf mentioned that the National Security Committee in parliament is considering the expulsion of military attachés from EU states and will track these developments through the Foreign Ministry. Iran's legislative actions against the IRGC's designation as a terrorist organization have been ongoing since 2019, following similar actions by the US, Canada, and Australia. The parliamentary session coincided with the 47th anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's return to Iran in 1979, marking the end of the Shah's rule and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The IRGC, tasked with protecting the Islamic Revolution, has been accused by Western governments of leading a severe crackdown on protests in late December, which resulted in numerous fatalities.
