Iran: the European Parliament's vote against the Revolutionary Guards, a turning point

The seat of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg.

© REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

MEPs call for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to be added to the European Union's list of terrorist organisations.

But for the Iranian president, it is a "gesture of frustration", after the vain efforts deployed by Europe to deal a blow to its people.

This vote is motivated by the multiplication of the executions of demonstrators in Iran, four months after the start of the uprising caused by the death of Mahsa Amini.

The executions changed the minds of some elected officials.

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With our correspondent in Strasbourg,

Wyloën Munhoz-Boillot

MEPs “ 

call on the Union and its Member States to include the Revolutionary Guards on the Union's terrorist list. 

»

This text taken from an amendment, very widely adopted Wednesday evening by the European Parliament, testifies to the change of position of certain elected officials, in particular Macronists, so far reluctant to strengthen sanctions against Tehran, but that the events of the last few days in Iran have changed their minds.

As Salima Yenbou, from Renew:

The turning point is French and European prisoners in general who are in jails.

They have just executed one (the Iranian-British Alireza Akbari, editor's note).

And then they also execute the demonstrators, so there is no longer any discussion possible!

In addition to the text adopted on Wednesday, the European Parliament was to vote on a more comprehensive resolution on the subject.

In particular, there is a ban on all economic and financial activity with companies linked to the Revolutionary Guards. 

With these two texts, MEPs want to put pressure on the European Council, which alone can make sanctions effective.

The issue of the Revolutionary Guards will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Twenty-Seven, scheduled for Monday.

►Read again: MEPs call for the registration of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization

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