Following the hostile action by the European Union in placing the name of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the list of terrorist groups, some sources reported the drafting of four proposals to counter this move.
In the note below, a brief examination of these four proposals is presented.
The recent decision of the European Union to place the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the sanctions list is a completely political action lacking any legal basis, which is more than a legal matter, and amounts to a hostile message against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This decision not only ignores the well-established principles of international interactions but also reflects a one-sided and incomplete view of Iran’s role in regional stability and in combating terrorism. At a time when global threats such as ISIL and terrorist groups operate beyond national borders, the IRGC has played a vital role not only in Iran but also at the regional level in confronting these threats and safeguarding global security, including the security of Europeans.
Over the past few years, the IRGC, through paramilitary and advisory operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, at heavy human and financial costs, has been able to dismantle terrorist networks and block ISIL’s path of advancement toward Europe’s borders.
Without the military and advisory actions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, vast areas of the Middle East would have fallen under ISIL control, and the direct threat to European security would have increased. Therefore, Europe’s decision to sanction the IRGC is an overlooking of this institution’s security services and a clear contradiction with the European Union’s own interests.
In response to this unilateral action, Iran can adopt reciprocal and deterrent measures that, while preserving national authority, send a clear message to the European side:
Assigning the protection of European diplomatic missions to the IRGC: This symbolic yet practical measure sends a clear message to Europe that the institution targeted by sanctions continues to play a central role in ensuring the country’s security and the safety of foreign diplomats. While maintaining Iran’s international commitments, this action highlights Europe’s behavioral contradiction.
Thorough inspection of commercial vessels bound for Europe: The naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran can, within the framework of international law, place European commercial vessels under special monitoring. This measure not only reveals the practical cost of the European Union’s decision, but also, as a deterrent tool, conveys Iran’s power and capability in safeguarding its economic and security interests.
Reviewing the level of Europe’s military-diplomatic presence in Tehran: The collective expulsion of military attachés of European countries is a reciprocal and defensible response to unilateral labeling. Any hostile behavior by Europe must be met with a reciprocal, coordinated, and deterrent reaction to ensure that unilateral political actions will not be without cost.
Inspection of European diplomats at airports in accordance with general rules: Reciprocal behavior in the realm of diplomatic procedures both conveys a message of mutual respect for international law and strengthens Iran’s position vis-à-vis European institutions. In cases where European diplomats, based on an unwritten diplomatic understanding, move through the country’s airports without undergoing customary procedures, this practice can be set aside, and these individuals can also pass through the inspection gates of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the same manner as ordinary Iranian citizens.
Ultimately, Iran’s response should not be purely political or symbolic; rather, it should be a combination of symbolic, practical, and deterrent measures that remind the European side that security, stability, and the fight against terrorism are the product of genuine cooperation and mutual understanding, not unilateral policymaking. The European Union must realize that sanctioning a key defensive institution not only does not undermine Iran’s national security but also threatens Europe’s own real interests.
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