Politico: France last country shifting stance on EU terror designation of IRGC

France had emerged as the last major holdout within the European Union against taking tougher action on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as resistance from other skeptical capitals steadily collapsed under mounting political pressure.

For weeks, a group of influential EU governments — led by France and, until recently, Italy and Spain — had argued that escalating measures against the Guard would erase what little diplomatic leverage Europe still retained with Tehran. Officials warned such a move could trigger reprisals against European nationals and further complicate already-stalled nuclear negotiations, sources told Politico.

That position became increasingly difficult to sustain as Iran’s internet blackout lifted and videos circulated showing violence by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against protesters. By the afternoon of January 28, capitals that had supported the tougher line, including Berlin, succeeded in peeling Italy and Spain away from France, leaving Paris increasingly isolated.

As support for stronger action spread, “the pressure [on France] became too much,” a European Parliament official said.

“They didn’t want to stand there like the only ones blocking this decision and supporting that regime … The shame of being the one to block this, the cost became too big.”

France’s hesitation was closely tied to its role in nuclear diplomacy with Tehran. Alongside the United Kingdom and Germany, Paris is part of the so-called E3 group engaged in talks over Iran’s nuclear programme. While the E3 had recently activated snapback sanctions over Iran’s failure to cooperate with inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, French officials had continued to argue for preserving diplomatic space.

For France, keeping the Revolutionary Guard off the EU terror list “maintained the possibility that the E3 could play a role if the negotiations on the nuclear program started again,” said a European diplomat.

Rome and Madrid, however, shifted their positions ahead of the summit, citing the severity of Iran’s crackdown on protesters. Italy pointed to the brutality of the repression, while Spain confirmed its support for tougher measures in a statement shared with POLITICO by the Spanish foreign ministry.

Facing near-total isolation, France dropped its opposition on January 28. The move cleared the way for the EU’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

“The unwavering courage of the Iranians, who have been the target of this violence, cannot happen in vain. This is the reason why we will today take European sanctions against those responsible,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters on January 29.

By Sabina Mammadli