Iran has officially designated the armed forces of European Union member states as terrorist organizations.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the decision during a press briefing. The move comes as a direct response to recent restrictive measures taken by Brussels against Tehran's military apparatus.
According to the diplomat, the presence of the armed forces of the 27 EU member states in the Persian Gulf and the broader region will henceforth be perceived through a different lens. "From now on, the presence of the armed forces of the 27 EU member states in our region and the Persian Gulf will be viewed differently, as they will now be considered terrorist organizations, and you can imagine what the consequences and impact will be," Baghaei emphasized.
This escalation follows the EU Council's decision on February 19 to officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. In a reciprocal move on February 21, Iran retaliated by blacklisting the naval and air forces of all EU member states. This development marks a significant deterioration in diplomatic and security relations between Iran and the European Union, potentially impacting maritime security and international shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf, a critical corridor for global energy supplies.
