Decision by Several European Countries to List the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Terrorist Organization, Referencing a Court Ruling in Germany

Several member countries of the European Union intend to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, citing a ruling from a Düsseldorf court regarding a fire at a Jewish place of worship in Bochum. The German state news agency DPA reported on Monday, June 7, that according to information obtained from a recent meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, the legal service of the European Council confirmed that the December ruling from the Düsseldorf court could be sufficient to add the IRGC to the EU's terrorist list. This ruling was issued following an attack on a synagogue in Bochum, resulting in a German-Iranian citizen being sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. The Düsseldorf court stated that he was hired for this act by an individual in Iran named 'Ramin Yektaparsat.' According to German security officials, Yektaparsat was the leader of a criminal gang and had collaborated with the IRGC. The European Union, led by its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, has previously emphasized that recognizing the IRGC as a terrorist organization is 'legally' impossible, as it requires a decision from a national court or a ruling from an administrative authority. Yi Wan Ri, a member of the German parliament, shared the news agency's post on social media, calling it 'good news' and addressing the protesting people of Iran, stating, 'This is happening because of your tireless efforts.' He continued, 'We see you. We see your struggle. We stand with you. But remember: the European Union needs consensus to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Let’s continue the fight.' The United States officially removed the IRGC from its list of terrorist organizations in 2019. Prior to that, the U.S. Treasury had listed the IRGC as a terrorist group in October 2017. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also included the IRGC in their lists of terrorist organizations since October 2018. While EU diplomats are hesitant about listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization, members of the European Parliament voted positively to add the IRGC to the terrorist list on January 19, 2023. Recently, the Canadian Parliament also voted for the second time with a majority in favor of declaring the IRGC a terrorist organization, putting pressure back on the liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization by Western countries is the main demand of the opponents of the Islamic Republic, especially following the nationwide protests in Iran in 2022, known as the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement.