Today, Monday, the foreign ministers of the European Union approved a new package of sanctions against Iran, against the backdrop of Tehran's handling of the protests that took place in the country, while the European Union's foreign policy official, Josep Borrell, said that the bloc cannot include the Revolutionary Guards among the terrorist organizations until after a court ruling is issued.

The Swedish presidency of the European Union said in a tweet that the new sanctions "target those who practice repression in Iran," and the Swedish presidency denounced what it described as "the brutal and disproportionate use of Iranian authorities towards peaceful demonstrators."

Reuters news agency quoted its sources as saying that the foreign ministers of the European Union intend during their meeting today to include 37 people in the list of sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Burrell's statement

In a related context, the foreign policy official in the European Union said that the bloc cannot include the Iranian Revolutionary Guards on the list of terrorist entities except after a court decision in one of the European Union states that.

Borrell added - in statements to reporters before a meeting of foreign ministers of the European Union in Brussels - "This matter cannot be decided without a court, a court decision first. You cannot say I consider you a terrorist because you do not like me."

On the other hand, German Foreign Minister Analina Baerbock said today, Monday, that Berlin welcomes the efforts made by European Union leaders to include the Revolutionary Guards in the list of terrorist organizations.

"We still see in Iran a brutal regime against its people. The Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guards terrorize their people day after day," the German minister said before starting a meeting with her bloc counterparts.

Last week, the European Parliament called on the Union to include the Revolutionary Guard - which was founded in 1979 - on the list of terrorist entities, accusing it of being "responsible for suppressing protests inside Iran and for providing Russia with drones."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman: Any European action against the Revolutionary Guards is a direct threat to our national security (Iranian press)

Iranian position

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said today, Monday, that his country had informed the European Union's foreign policy official of its rejection of the European Parliament's decision to include the Revolutionary Guards on the lists of terrorism.

Kanaani added that any action against the Revolutionary Guards "is a direct threat to Iranian national security," stressing that Tehran's response will be proportionate.

The Iranian Shura Council (Parliament) held a closed session yesterday, Sunday, in the presence of the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Major General Hussein Salami, and Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian.

To discuss the recent decision of the European Parliament to include the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the lists of terrorism.

đź“ą Watch |

#Iran intends to classify European armies as terrorists in response to the decision to classify the Revolutionary Guards 06-30-1444 |

22-01-2023 pic.twitter.com/24h8K7rshu

- Ansar Allah Media Center (@AnsarrAllahMC) January 22, 2023

The commander of the Revolutionary Guards said during yesterday's meeting that if European countries decide to take negative measures against the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian response will make them regret it.

In a related context, Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf said that the US sanctions against Iran and Russia are the most important threat at the present time, adding that "the pressure on Iran and Russia requires joint action and strategic dealings to overcome this stage."

agreement and war

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that the exchange of messages regarding the nuclear agreement file continues through multiple diplomatic channels, and the Iranian official added that the absence of announced negotiations does not mean that the exchange of messages between the parties concerned in the agreement has stopped, denying the existence of bilateral and independent negotiations with the American side.

There were outstanding differences between Tehran and Washington that led to the faltering efforts of the Vienna negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement concluded between Tehran and the world powers in 2015.

Nasser Kanaani said that his country is not a party to the Ukraine war, indicating that this is its firm position since the beginning of the crisis.

Kanani rejected the accusations that seek to hold his country partly responsible for the war, explaining that his country did not hand over any drones to Russia to be used in the Ukraine war, noting that there is no evidence to prove the accusations leveled against his country regarding handing over the drones to Russia.