Iran's leadership warned of a regional conflict on Sunday (1 February) if the U.S. were to attack it, stoking the tension between Washington and Tehran, and it designated EU armies as "terrorist groups" in a retaliatory move.
The warning came as Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tehran would treat EU member states’ armies as terrorist organisations, citing Article 7 of Iran’s Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organisation.
Speaking during a parliamentary session in Tehran, Qalibaf described the EU’s decision as an “irresponsible action” that ran counter to Europe’s own interests.
“By trying to target the Revolutionary Guards, the Europeans have once again acted against the interests of their own people by blindly obeying the Americans,” he said.
Lawmakers attending the session wore green IRGC uniforms in a show of solidarity and chanted anti-US, anti-Israel and anti-Europe slogans, according to footage broadcast by Iranian state television.
EU designation and IRGC role
The European Union agreed on Thursday (29 January) to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, citing Tehran’s response to recent nationwide protests and broader concerns over human rights. The move mirrors similar designations already made by the United States, Canada and Australia.
In response, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement on Sunday that the EU’s decision complicated “the path to constructive interaction and cooperation” while strengthening “confrontational approaches”.
Established after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC plays a central role in Iran’s military and security apparatus and wields significant political and economic influence, including across parts of the economy and the armed forces.
Qalibaf said Iran’s national security parliamentary commission would consider expelling EU military attachés and pursue further retaliatory measures through the foreign ministry. It remains unclear what immediate practical impact Iran’s declaration will have.
Rising tensions and mixed signals
The announcement comes amid heightened rhetoric between Tehran and Washington. US President Donald Trump has warned of possible military action and recently ordered a major naval deployment to the region.
Iranian officials have likewise insisted they are open to dialogue. Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on Saturday that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing”, despite what he described as a media-driven atmosphere of confrontation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also sought to lower the temperature, saying a new war would be in the interests of neither Iran, the United States nor the wider Middle East.
In a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Pezeshkian said Tehran has never sought war and remains committed to preventing further regional destabilisation.
Protests and domestic backdrop
Western governments accuse the IRGC of playing a central role in suppressing the protest movement that erupted over economic hardship and political grievances, with rights groups reporting thousands of deaths.
Tehran rejects those claims, blaming the unrest on “terrorist acts” encouraged by foreign powers.
Qalibaf said the EU decision had only strengthened domestic support for the Guards and, in his words, pushed Europe closer to “irrelevance in the future world order”.
The exchange of designations underscores a sharp deterioration in Iran–EU relations, even as regional and international actors continue to press both Tehran and Washington to keep diplomatic channels open.
Armenia is looking to turn shared environmental challenges into opportunities for regional cooperation, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan highlig...
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It com...
In an interview with AnewZ’s Sabir Safarov, Houthi-aligned journalist Hussain al-Bukhaiti warns of possible attacks on Saudi Arabia’...
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
In an interview with AnewZ’s Sabir Safarov, Houthi-aligned journalist Hussain al-Bukhaiti warns of possible attacks on Saudi Arabia’s water and power infrastructure, dismisses concerns over global trade and acknowledges Iranian assistance in developing the group’s missiles.
Armenia is looking to turn shared environmental challenges into opportunities for regional cooperation, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan highlighting the potential for stronger ties with neighbouring countries through biodiversity protection.
Student organisations, opposition groups and youth-led activists took to the streets in Patna and Mumbai on Friday (16 October), demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, amid a row over changes to voter lists.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
From international tourism and major reconstruction projects to a film premiere and political developments, Garabagh’s transformation takes centre stage in the AnewZ Daily Brief for 16 October 2026.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment