EU Designates Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as Terrorist Organisation
Summary
The Council of the EU formally designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran on its terrorist list under Common Position 2001/931/CFSP. The designation triggers asset freezes and prohibits EU operators from making funds or economic resources available to the group. This brings the total to 13 persons and 23 groups and entities subject to EU counter-terrorism restrictive measures.
What changed
The Council of the EU formally added the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran to the EU Terrorist List pursuant to Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/421 and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/420. This designation operates under Common Position 2001/931/CFSP, which is separate from the UN Security Council sanctions regime targeting Al-Qaida and ISIL/Da'esh.
EU operators, including financial institutions, businesses, and individuals, must immediately freeze all IRGC funds and economic resources within EU jurisdiction and are prohibited from making any funds or economic resources available to the group. Violations of these sanctions may result in significant penalties under national implementations of the counter-terrorism framework.
What to do next
- Immediately identify and freeze all IRGC funds and economic resources
- Refrain from making any funds or economic resources available to IRGC
- Screen counterparties and transactions for IRGC connections
Penalties
Asset freeze on all IRGC funds and economic resources in EU member states; prohibition on making funds or resources available to designated parties
Archived snapshot
Apr 10, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
- Council of the EU
- Press release
- 19 February 2026 13:20
EU terrorist list: Council designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation
Following the political agreement reached by the Foreign Affairs Council on 29 January, the Council formally decided today to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran to the EU terrorist list.
Following its listing, the IRGC will also be subject to restrictive measures under the EU counterterrorism sanctions regime. This includes the freezing of its funds and other financial assets or economic resources in EU member states, and the prohibition for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to the group.
As a consequence of today’s decision, there are now 13 persons and 23 groups and entities subject to the restrictive measures under the so-called EU terrorist list.
Background
The EU Terrorist List, i.e. the sanctions regime set out in Common Position 2001/931/CFSP, is separate from the EU regime implementing UN Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) and targeting Al-Qaida and ISIL/Da'esh.
The EU may also apply restrictive measures autonomously to ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaida and persons and entities associated with or supporting them or against those who support, facilitate or enable violent actions by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
- Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/421 of 19 February 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 updating the list of persons, groups and entities covered by Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism
- Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/420 of 19 February 2026 implementing Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism
- Sanctions against terrorism (background information)
- EU sanctions against Iran (background information)
Press contacts
- Maria Daniela Lenzu Press officer
- +32 470 88 04 02
- +32 2 281 21 46
- @daniela_lenzu If you are not a journalist, please send your request to the public information service.
Topics
- Foreign affairs
- Fighting crime
- Sanctions
- Middle East and North Africa
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