Islamic Republic will not hesitate to support IRGC: Foreign Ministry spox

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has underscored the Islamic Republic’s unflinching support for the Islamic Revolution Guards Crops (IRGC), saying Tehran will not hesitate to support the elite force in the face of threats and sanctions by the West.

The Foreign Ministry, in tandem with the public, the government, the parliament, the lawmakers and the Judiciary, while “strongly condemning any meddlesome actions and statements in contravention of the rules of international law, expresses its full support for the IRGC as the symbol of the sacred and national values of Islamic Iran and the leading force in the fight against various forms of terrorism and extremism, and will have no hesitation in this regard,” Nasser Kan’ani, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Wednesday.

Kan’ani made the remarks after Iran announced retaliatory sanctions against 34 individuals and entities from the European Union and the United Kingdom over earlier bans illegally imposed by Brussels and London on a number of Iranian officials and organizations.

Highlighting Iran’s resolve to defend its “sovereignty, national interests, and its official organizations,” Kan’ani added that the Islamic Republic is determined to realize its goals within the framework of its foreign policy’s macro principles and policies, the clear norms of international law, and the principle of equality of states and sovereignty.

He pointed to Iran’s retaliatory sanctions against a number of EU and UK officials, and said the bans targeted the individuals and entities for “their deliberate actions in supporting terrorism and terrorist groups, promoting and inciting terrorism and spreading violence and hate-mongering, which have caused unrest, violence, terrorist acts and violation of the human rights of the Iranian nation.”

Kan’ani added that those who had recently desecrated the Holy Qur’an and the Islamic sanctities were included in the sanctions list.

Iran announces retaliatory sanctions on dozens of EU, UK individuals, entities

Iran on Wednesday announced sanctions against 34 individuals and entities from the European Union and the United Kingdom, days after Brussels and London imposed a fresh round of sanctions.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the individuals and entities were designated because of “supporting terrorism and terrorist groups, instigating and encouragement to terrorist acts and violence against Iranian people, interference in domestic affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, fomenting violence and unrest in Iran, dissemination of false information about Iran and participation in the escalation of cruel sanctions against Iranian people as an economic terrorism.”

Tehran slammed London and Brussels for supporting, facilitating, and failing to counter the destructive acts of the sanctioned individuals and entities, noting that such measures are in contravention of international obligations regarding the fight against terrorism.

The retaliatory move came days after the 27-nation bloc slapped sanctions against Iran over, what it calls, the country's confrontation against the foreign-backed violence and riots that erupted across the Islamic Republic in September after the tragic death in police custody of a young Iranian woman, named Mahsa Amini.

The tragic incident was immediately exploited by Western-based media outlets and officials, who -- without providing any convincing evidence -- started claiming that the woman had been "murdered" by police forces, which led to more than three months of violent riots and rabble-rousing across Iran.

Iran warns EU of 'reciprocal' response to IRGC blacklisting vote

Iranian Foreign Minister warns the EU it would take “reciprocal” measures after the European Parliament voted to list the IRGC as a terrorist group.

Moreover, tensions between Iran and the European Union have dramatically risen amid the European Parliament's push to list the IRGC as a "terrorist organization," following a non-binding vote last week.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, however, clarified on Monday that the bloc cannot list the IRGC as a “terrorist” entity without an EU court ruling.

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