News - Middle East: Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has condemned an EU move to designate the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, noting that the measure comes due to the “desperation” of Europeans.

Speaking in a cabinet session on Thursday, Raeisi briefly referred to a recent amendment to a resolution by the European Parliament which calls on the EU and its member states to include the IRGC on their terror list.

“This move is out of desperation and it comes after their failed attempts on the streets to deal a blow to Iranian people,” he said, referring to the foreign-backed riots that started in Iran in mid-September 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.

Europe thought that it could "stop the Iranian nation" with such measures, he said.

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps is an “official force” and part of Iran’s Armed Forces, Raeisi stressed, adding, “The measure is in contravention of the international law and the UN Charter.”

The remarks come as the European Parliament adopted another resolution on Thursday, calling for more sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities, including Raeisi, as well as putting the IRGC on the EU terrorist list over alleged human rights violations during recent riots.

This is while Iran’s intelligence bodies have found footprints of American and other Western spy agencies in recent violent riots inside Iran which claimed the lives of dozens of people and security forces.