TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has summoned ambassadors from all European Union countries to protest the bloc’s recent designation of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. This diplomatic action occurs amid rising tensions, including potential U.S. military responses to the deaths of demonstrators and concerns over possible mass executions.
The U.S. military has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and multiple guided-missile destroyers to the Middle East region. While it remains uncertain if President Donald Trump will authorize force, diplomatic efforts by regional nations aim to prevent a broader conflict.
EU’s Designation and Its Implications
The European Union added the Revolutionary Guard to its terrorist list last week, citing the group’s role in the violent suppression of nationwide protests in January. Those demonstrations resulted in thousands of deaths and the detention of tens of thousands of individuals. The United States and Canada had previously classified the Guard as a terrorist entity.
Although the EU’s move carries symbolic weight, it intensifies economic pressures on Iran, where the Guard exerts significant control over key sectors of the economy.
Iran’s Diplomatic Protest
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei informed reporters that the summoning of ambassadors began on Sunday and continued into Monday. “A series of actions were reviewed, various options are being prepared and were sent to the related decision-making bodies,” Baghaei stated. “We think that in coming days, a decision will be made about a reciprocal action by the Islamic Republic of Iran toward the illegal, unreasonable and very wrong move by the EU.”
On Sunday, Iran’s parliament speaker announced that the country now views all European Union military forces as terrorist groups, referencing a 2019 law.
History and Role of the Revolutionary Guard
Established during Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Revolutionary Guard serves to safeguard the Shiite clerical leadership and holds a constitutional mandate. It operates alongside Iran’s conventional military and gained substantial influence during the 1980s war with Iraq. After the conflict, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expanded its authority into private business ventures, enabling its growth.
The Guard’s Basij militia played a central role in quelling the January protests, which escalated from January 8. Authorities restricted internet access and international calls across the nation of 85 million people during the unrest. Smuggled videos, transmitted via Starlink satellite dishes and other methods, depict Guard-affiliated forces firing on and assaulting protesters.
Ongoing Military Activities
Baghaei confirmed that a Revolutionary Guard drill in the Strait of Hormuz proceeds according to schedule. This vital waterway handles one-fifth of global oil trade. Iran issued warnings to vessels last week about exercises planned for Sunday and Monday, though official confirmation of their execution has been limited.
In response, the U.S. Central Command issued a stern advisory to Iran, urging it to avoid interfering with American warships, aircraft, or commercial shipping in the strait.
