Wednesday, February 4, 2026-In a dramatic escalation of tensions with Europe, Iran’s parliament announced that it now considers the armed forces of European Union member states to be “terrorist groups”, a direct retaliatory move against the EU’s recent designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The declaration was made under Iranian law that allows reciprocal actions after external designations, and reflects Tehran’s effort to push back hard against what it calls unwarranted foreign interference.
The move has drawn swift condemnation from European governments and institutions, with officials calling Iran’s designation “baseless” and insisting it will not change Europe’s policies toward Tehran. German leaders, among others, dismissed the claim as propaganda and stressed that the EU remains committed to its own legal assessments of terrorism and security threats. The EU also says diplomatic channels must remain open despite the rhetoric, and continues to reject the labeling of its armies as terrorist groups.
The broader backdrop to this confrontation is the EU’s decision to place the IRGC on its terrorist list over its brutal crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran, in which thousands have reportedly been killed. Alongside diplomatic protests — including Iran summoning EU ambassadors — the tit‑for‑tat designations underscore a deepening geopolitical rift that risks complicating efforts at negotiation and increasing regional instability.
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