Placing IRGC on 'terrorist list' requires judicial decision: Borrell

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Jan 2023 12:10
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European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says a court in an EU member country has to declare a specific legal censure before placing Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps on the "terrorist list".

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (Archive)

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that placing Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps on the "terrorist list" requires a judicial decision in one of the EU member states.

“It is something that cannot be decided without a court, a court decision first. You cannot say I consider you a terrorist because I don’t like you," Josep Borrell told journalists prior to a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.

He went on to say that before the EU could intervene, a court in an EU member country had to declare a specific legal censure.

This comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told EU's Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell last Thursday that IRGC is a sovereign, state apparatus and plays an important role in securing Iranian national security, regional security, and fighting terrorism.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian tersely stated that the EU Parliament's measure against this Iranian security institution is akin to Europe shooting itself in the foot.

On his account, Borrell told Amir-Abdollahian that "although the EU Parliament is an independent institution, the draft resolution lacks executive strength and only reflects only European fears."

This is happening days after members of the European Parliament demanded that the EU classify Iran's IRGC as a "terrorist" organization.

Last Wednesday, the European Parliament held a session and voted on this proposal noting that the results are non-binding.

The vote was approved with 598 members voting in favor, 9 against, and 31 abstentions.

At the time. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that the EU's decision to include the Iranian IRGC on its "terrorist list" demonstrates the Europeans' desperation and ignorance, emphasizing that the designation will not hinder the IRGC's anti-terror campaign.