Iran Designates EU Armies Terrorist Groups
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Feb 01, 2026 · Last updated Feb 01, 2026
The escalating tensions between Iran and the European Union, marked by reciprocal 'terrorist group' designations, are likely to increase geopolitical risk premiums, particularly affecting oil markets and defense stocks. The potential expulsion of military attaches and broader confrontational approaches could further destabilize the Middle East, impacting global trade and investment flows.
Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, announced that Iran considers the armies of European Union countries as 'terrorist groups'. This declaration is a direct retaliation to the European Union's decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Qalibaf stated that the EU's move was made by 'blindly obeying the Americans' and that the national security parliamentary commission would deliberate on the expulsion of EU countries' military attaches. This escalation follows a bloody crackdown on protests in Iran since 1979, which prompted the EU's initial designation. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, established after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, holds significant economic and military sway in Iran. The United States had previously listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, and Iran's 2019 law allows for reciprocal action against nations that follow suit. Iranian lawmakers chanted 'Death to America!' and 'Death to Israel!' during the session, underscoring the heightened regional tensions. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also warned that a US attack on Iran would lead to a regional conflict.
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