Over 14,000 Iranian university professors condemn EU’s IRGC designation

More than 14,000 Iranian university professors have condemned the European Union’s designation of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a so-called terrorist organization, describing the action as unlawful, irresponsible, and inhumane.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, 14,237 academics from universities across Iran stated that the decision follows failed Western efforts to destabilize Iran.

“Following the West’s failure to overthrow the Islamic system, which took place in the form of the largest terrorist war against the Iranian nation, the foreign ministers of European countries, in an illegal and threatening action, placed the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on the list of terrorist groups,” the statement said.

Last Thursday, the EU’s foreign ministers announced their decision to place the IRGC on the list of so-called terrorist organizations of the 27-member political and economic bloc.

The professors contended that the move is a political and legal overreach intended to legitimize pressure and potential military action against Iran.

“This hostile and interventionist action by European governments is aimed at encouraging [US President Donald] Trump to launch a military attack on Iran, legitimizing military aggression, and introducing the IRGC as the agent of suppressing the Iranian people, in order to take revenge on the Iranian people who once again supported the Islamic system and separated themselves from the rioters and terrorists,” it added.

Foreign-backed armed rioters and terrorists hijacked peaceful, sporadic protests over economic grievances on January 8 and 9. 

The violence, encouraged openly by the US and the Israeli regime, resulted in extensive damage to public and private property, with widespread destruction of shops, government institutions, public service facilities, and the killing of hundreds of civilians and security forces.

Iranian authorities have confirmed that American and Israeli spy agencies were directly involved, providing funding, training, and media support to rioters and armed terrorists acting on the streets.

The Tuesday statement further noted that European governments seek to portray the IRGC as an internal repressive force while Iran’s security forces are themselves victims of terrorism.

The signatories stated that Europe’s current security is owed in part to the actions of Iran’s armed forces, including the IRGC and commanders such as General Qassem Soleimani, who played a decisive role in defeating Daesh.

The statement urged European governments to distinguish their policies from those of the United States by avoiding encouragement of military confrontation or being drawn into escalatory approaches associated with Trump, instead calling for greater political rationality and restraint.

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Recalling Europe’s colonial past, the professors stated that European states lack the moral authority to designate others as terrorists, noting that Western governments have supported state terrorism elsewhere.

They stressed that the IRGC is a constitutionally recognized and official military force of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that labeling a country’s armed forces as terrorist violates international norms and state sovereignty.

The professors expressed full support for the IRGC and thanked its members for their service, stating that Western designation of the force will neither weaken it nor diminish its domestic support.

On the contrary, the statement said, such actions will strengthen the resolve of Iran’s armed forces and increase their popularity among the Iranian public.

The signatories said placing the IRGC on a terrorist list will be regarded by them as a “badge of honor,” reinforcing the corps’ legitimacy and effectiveness.

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