TEHRAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran strongly condemned on Thursday the European Union (EU)'s "hostile and provocative" decision to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a "terrorist organization."
The EU foreign ministers agreed earlier in the day to add the IRGC to the bloc's terrorist list, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said.
Denouncing the EU's move in a Thursday statement, the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces warned that the European policymakers would be directly responsible for their move's "precarious" repercussions, according to the official news agency IRNA.
"The irrational, irresponsible, and hateful measure of the European Union has been undoubtedly aimed at unquestionably obeying the United States and Israel's hegemonic and inhumane policies and is indicative of the depth of the block's animosity and malice towards Iran's noble people, armed forces, security, and independence," the statement said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also slammed the EU decision. "Several countries are presently attempting to avert the eruption of all-out war in our region. None of them are European," he posted on social media platform X.
"Europe is instead busy fanning the flames. After pursuing 'snapback' at the behest of the United States, it is now making another major strategic mistake by designating our National Military as a supposed 'terrorist organization,'" Araghchi said.
Describing the EU's designation as a "blatant hypocrisy," he said, "the EU's current posture is deeply damaging to its own interests. Europeans deserve better than what their governments have to offer." ■
