Dear Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles
High Representative & Vice President of the European Commission
The Israeli citizens and their government are embroiled in an intense conflict, primarily fueled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from Tehran. Acting through their proxies, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Guards have, within a brief period, contributed to the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians. This confrontation is not merely rooted in the Palestinian-Israeli disagreements; fundamentally, it’s a clash between the foes of democracy and the principles of democracy itself.
The distressing images of innocent women and children, victims of Hamas rockets, evoke deep emotions. As acknowledged by Hamas leaders, these rockets, supplied freely by the IRGC, are aimed at Israeli civilians.
Updated provisions of the Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism, as of 15 June 2009, categorize organizations such as ‘Hamas’, including ‘Hamas Izz al Din al Qassem’, ‘Palestinian Islamic Jihad’ – ‘PIJ’, ‘Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’ – ‘PFLP’, and ‘Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command’ as terrorist entities. Given the open admissions by leaders of these listed groups, it is evident that their attacks are facilitated by the financial and logistical backing of the IRGC. Thus, it’s conclusive that the IRGC plays a direct and significant role in these ruthless assaults against innocent civilians from diverse nationalities.
In light of the second paragraph of Article 1 of the European Council Common Position, dated 27 December 2001 (2001/931/CFSP) on the specific measures to combat terrorism, which explicitly defines those involved in terrorist acts as:persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts’ shall mean: — persons who commit, or attempt to commit, terrorist acts or who participate in, or facilitate, the commission of terrorist acts, — groups and entities owned or controlled directly or indirectly by such persons; and persons, groups and entities acting on behalf of, or under the direction of, such persons, groups and entities, including funds derived or generated from property owned or controlled directly or indirectly by such persons and associated persons, groups and entities and also referencing to Part 17 of the annex of decision 14612/1/16 REV 1, which states that the draft rationale will be framed by the proposing Member State or the EEAS, the International Organization to Preserve Human Rights strongly recommends the immediate commencement of the legal process to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Given the evidence, the IRGC unequivocally exemplifies the criteria outlined in sections 2 & 3 of the aforementioned paragraph from the measures to combat terrorism (2001/931/CFSP).
It is crucial to emphasize that any delay in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization could lead to tragedies similar to the massacre of young individuals and innocent civilians recently witnessed in southern Israel, occurring within European borders. Ensuring the safety of European citizens mandates the swift inclusion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations.
Furthermore, the International Organization to Preserve Human Rights believes that designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity as a legal political action, could also alleviate tensions and (military) conflicts in the Middle East. Such a move would contribute significantly to fostering lasting peace in this volatile region.
The International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights
London, Brussels, Berlin, Toronto, Washington
11th October 2023