Tehran: Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it has designated the naval and air forces of all European Union member states as terrorist entities, invoking the principle of reciprocal action.
In an official statement, the ministry said it took the measure in response to what it described as an “illegal and unjustified” decision by EU governments to label the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization. The EU adopted that decision on February 19, 2026.
According to Tehran, the European move violates fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. The ministry stressed that the IRGC functions as an official branch of Iran’s armed forces and therefore cannot be categorized as a terrorist group under international norms.
Furthermore, the ministry cited Article 7 of Iran’s 2019 law titled “Countermeasures Against the Designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Terrorist Organization by the United States.” Under this legislation, Iran can impose reciprocal measures on any country that follows or supports the US designation of the IRGC.
Relying on that legal framework, including Article 4 of the same law, Iran formally identified the naval and air forces of all EU member states as subject to countermeasures. Consequently, Tehran designated those forces as terrorist organizations under its domestic legal system.
The statement concluded by emphasizing that Iran acted within the framework of its national laws. Moreover, officials reiterated that the decision responds directly to what they called a clear breach of international legal principles by European governments.
