Blanar: Slovakia Backs EU Listing of IRGC, Warns of Risks for EU Citizens

Brussels/Bratislava, 29 January (TASR) – Slovakia has supported the inclusion of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the European Union's list of terrorist organisations, while at the same time pointing to possible risks of such a move for EU citizens, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar said after a session of the EU Council in Brussels on Thursday. "We pointed out one important issue that needs to be borne in mind. The IRGC are so deeply intertwined in the running of the Iranian state that it is very difficult to predict what consequences their (definitive) designation as a terrorist organisation could have, and what this could mean for citizens from the European Union who are in this territory," Blanar said, adding that the EU must consider all the implications of this step. For now, this is only a political agreement, which member states are likely to approve in the coming days after technical talks. The minister also pointed to the fragile situation in the region and the presence of a significant United States military force, noting that escalation could occur. "Therefore, on my instruction, the Slovak Republic has completely evacuated our diplomatic mission, which we relocated to a neighbouring country, currently to Baku in Azerbaijan, from where we are carrying out all activities," he added. According to Blanar, the EU's position on the situation in Iran is clear and unified. Ministers of the member states condemned the actions of the Iranian authorities in suppressing recent protests, calling them unacceptable. On Thursday, EU foreign ministers also decided, with respect to the violent crackdown on demonstrations, to impose sanctions on senior Iranian officials, including Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. In discussions on the Middle East, ministers also addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon. Another important issue of the meeting was the war in Ukraine. mf