On January 29, 2025, France’s Parliament condemned Iran’s human rights violations and advocated for the EU to designate Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization. This move highlights systematic abuses within Iran and aims to curb the IRGC’s operations in Europe. AJC CEO Ted Deutch supports the initiative, stressing the need for unity against the IRGC’s global terror network.
On January 29, 2025, France’s Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Iran’s human rights violations and urging the European Union (EU) to label Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij forces as terrorist organizations. The resolution highlights systematic human rights abuses such as excessive use of the death penalty for control, acts of violence against women and children, and severe discrimination against women, which restrict their freedoms and livelihoods.
The IRGC, known for its oppressive actions in Iran, supports the country’s ballistic missile and nuclear ambitions while backing terror groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. It has been directly involved in human rights abuses and significant missile strikes, notably against Israel in 2024. The United States designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in April 2019, subjecting it to stringent sanctions and bans on support activities.
The French resolution is vital, as it could encourage the EU to implement similar measures. An EU designation would lead to the freezing of IRGC assets and prevent its members from engaging in operations within Europe, directly impacting the Iranian regime’s activities and threatening its operations targeting dissidents and Jewish communities in Europe.
Constance Le Grip, a French MP and AJC Project Interchange alumna, introduced the resolution, receiving support for its objectives. As a member of AJC’s Transatlantic Friends of Israel initiative, she advocates for collaborative security efforts endorsed by both the American and European leadership communities.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch has endorsed this resolution as a decisive action. He applauded the French Parliament’s decision and emphasized the long-standing advocacy by AJC for designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity. He highlighted the IRGC’s global terror network role and its overarching threats, calling it a vicious force against Jews in Europe and elsewhere.
Going forward, the AJC urges the EU and other nations to officially designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. AJC has previously supported measures encouraging the EU to enhance protections for European Jewish communities and counteract Iran’s terrorist-supporting actions in the Middle East.
The recent resolution passed by France’s Parliament to blacklist Iran’s IRGC underscores a significant move in addressing human rights abuses in Iran. If the EU follows suit, it could greatly hinder the IRGC’s operations in Europe. This resolution, backed by influential organizations like AJC, is crucial in rallying international support against Iran’s growing influence and its terrorism-linked activities.
Original Source: www.ajc.org
