In the Journal du Dimanche, a joint article by Pierre Bercis, Ingrid Betancourt, Émile Blessig, Yves Bonnet, Pascal Bruckner, Jean-François Legaret, and Gilles Paruelle emphasizes the urgent need to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Below are the key sections of the article.
The IRGC is notorious for its brutal repression of Iranian protesters, especially targeting women. It commands extremist militias across the Middle East, oversees nuclear and missile programs, and deploys drones in conflicts, such as those involving Israel and Ukraine. The IRGC is also responsible for numerous global terrorist attacks, including those against U.S. Marines and French soldiers in Lebanon, as well as the AMIA bombing in Argentina. Today, this threat looms over Europe.
Despite calls from the European Parliament to designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, the EU’s High Representative, Josep Borrell, has stalled the process, citing the need for a judicial ruling from a member state. Yet ample evidence links the IRGC to terrorist activities, and the EU’s inaction is perceived by Tehran not as prudence but as weakness.
On October 22, the European Parliament will again debate Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism. Intelligence services, such as France’s DGSI, have warned of Iran using hired assassins to target Jewish, Israeli, or Iranian dissidents in Europe. A notable case is the attempted assassination of Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a former vice-president of the European Parliament, in November 2023.
The IRGC and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) are already active in Europe. In 2018, an Iranian diplomat (Assadollah Assadi) was arrested for plotting a bombing at a major gathering of the Iranian resistance in France. While Iran’s involvement was proven, the EU’s response was limited to blacklisting a few individuals.
Refusing to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization is no longer just a mistake; it is a serious misstep for several reasons:
- Sweden’s request: After uncovering planned attacks on its territory, Sweden urged the EU to list the IRGC.
- Legal precedent: A German court in March established that a 2022 synagogue attack was orchestrated by the Iranian state.
- Increased threat to Europe: As the IRGC loses influence in the Middle East, it may escalate terrorist activities in Europe.
- Growing protests in Iran: The weakening of the Iranian regime could fuel an internal uprising, as demonstrated in 2022 with widespread protests under the slogan “No to Shah, No to Mullahs.”
- The activities of the Resistance Units indicate an organized force on the ground: Organized resistance, such as the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), continues to challenge the regime despite harsh crackdowns and death sentences.
Meanwhile, the EU’s actions remain inadequate, imposing symbolic sanctions on a few IRGC generals while ignoring the broader threat. This inaction allows Iran to distract from its internal crises by stirring nationalist sentiment.
The Iranian people are the only ones capable of toppling this religious and terrorist dictatorship. While we cannot fight their battles, we must support their right to resist. The first step is to classify the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Failure to act would not only be a mistake but a grave injustice.
Pierre Bercis, founding president of New Human Rights
Ingrid Betancourt, writer
Émile Blessig, president of the Group of Former Deputies
Yves Bonnet, honorary prefect, former director of the DST (Directorate of Territorial Surveillance)
Pascal Bruckner, novelist and essayist
Jean-François Legaret, president of the Foundation for Middle Eastern Studies (FEMO)
Gilles Paruelle, lawyer, former president of the Val-d’Oise Bar Association
