Iran designated as terrorist organizations the naval and air forces of countries that aligned with the U.S. decision to classify the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as such, according to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday, February 21.

The communiqué further condemned the European Union’s decision to label the IRGC “terrorist organization” as a violation of international law.

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On the other hand, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen praised the move, calling it “long overdue” and “justified.” Her statement drew scrutiny from observers who noted the absence of such condemnation for Israel’s Zionist regime, which has killed more than 71,000 people in Gaza, or for the U.S. government’s killings of civilians, bystanders, and protesters against ICE raids.

EC Vice President Kaja Kallas’ allegations that Iran has “killed thousands of its own people” remain unproven, rooted in political rhetoric rather than verifiable evidence. European leaders have previously voiced their anti-Irani rhetoric. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, for instance, framed Israeli aggression against Iran as “the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us.”

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the European Union’s move as an “irresponsible decision” driven by Washington and Tel Aviv rather than independent European judgment, warning Sunday that the bloc’s global standing would suffer as a result. 

Addressing a parliamentary session, he further accused Israel of orchestrating a media campaign to intimidate Iranians and other nations—an effort, he asserted, that is doomed to fail.

Ghalibaf emphasized that Iranians view the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as an integral part of the nation and its military, predicting that external pressure would only deepen public loyalty to the force.

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