Amir-Abdollahian: EU terror designation of IRGC violates UN Charter

• 

During a phone call with Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billström on Friday, Iranian FM Hossein Amir-Abdollahian not only criticized the European Parliament's recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization as unconstructive, but added that it violates the United Nations Charter.

“The destructive measures by the European Parliament vis-à-vis the IRGC run counter to the UN Charter,” Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that the IRGC "played a constructive role in the fight against the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq, Syria and the West Asia region” by preventing the attacks to take place in European capitals.

“Therefore, the Europeans are indebted to the IRGC's efforts in the fight against terrorism.”

EU armed forces to be designated in turn

A member of the Iranian parliament's presidium, Ahmad Naderi, confirmed on Friday that the Iranian parliament will enforce legislative amendments that would recognize the armed forces of EU member states under the category of terrorist organizations if the EU proceeds to place the IRGC on its terrorist list.

Naderi was quoted by Iran's ISNA news agency as saying: "The parliament has prepared... draft amendments to the law on responsive measures to US' recognition of the IRGC as a terrorist organization... The draft will affect all EU member states, their armed forces, their organizations and institutions that will put the IRGC on the terrorist list," 

The European Parliament adopted on Thursday the resolution to impose additional sanctions against Iran over the West-backed riots in the country, in addition to alleged arms supplies to Russia and 'international espionage'. On the same day, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi denounced the decision, describing that it happened out of Europeans’ “desperation.”

During a phone call that day as well, Amirabdollahian warned EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that the EU Parliament's decisions would ignite negative consequences and further called on the EU to start considering positive cooperation with Iran.

On a separate note, Amir-Abdollahian underlined to Billstrom the significance of enhancing mutual ties between Iran and Sweden on the basis of not allowing “certain individuals” to interfere between both countries for their own “personal and terrorist interests" .