Iran Slams EP’s Call for Blacklisting IRG: Europe Shooting Itself in Foot

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said the European Parliament [EP] shot Europe in the foot by voting to call on the European Union and its member states to place Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard [IRG] on the bloc's “terror” list.

In a Thursday phone conversation with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Amir Abdollahian strongly criticized the European Parliament’s “emotional, injudicious, incorrect and unprofessional” behavior, which is in conflict with political rationality and civility.

“It is necessary to respect mutual security in the world of diplomacy and increase mutual trust instead of following the language of threats and unfriendly actions,” he said, vowing retaliation.

Iran has repeatedly announced that the IRG is an official state body which “has had and will continue to have an important and key role in ensuring the security of Iran and the region, particularly in the fight against terrorism,” Amir Abdollahian added.

The top diplomat further emphasized that Iran’s Parliament would give a “legal and strong” response to the plan and urged the European Parliament to “think about the adverse consequences of its emotional; behavior and to focus instead on the path of diplomacy, constructive interaction and rationality.”

The European Parliament’s members on Wednesday backed an amendment added to an annual foreign policy report, calling for “the EU and its member states to include the IRG in the EU’s terror list.”

The hostile measure was passed by a vote of 598 in favor and nine against, with 31 abstentions.

The amendment will urge Brussels to blacklist the IRG military force, the volunteer Basij force, and the IRG’s Quds Force.

It would also target “any economic and financial activity involving businesses and commercial activities related to, owned, wholly or in part, by, or fronting for, the IRG or IRG-affiliated individuals, regardless of their country of operation.”

Borrell, for his part, said he agreed that the European Parliament’s text included emotions and worries, but the body is completely independent in decision-making.

However, the decisions are non-binding and the recent measure merely reflects Europe’s concerns, he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the EU foreign policy chief hailed diplomatic efforts which are underway to revive the 2015 Iran deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], and vowed to continue his bids to help the sides achieve a final agreement.