France appears to have walked back its opposition to the European Union's plan to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The decision comes after Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that France will support the designation, citing the "unbearable repression" of Iranian protesters and the need for accountability.
Barrot's statement was made in response to the ongoing crackdown on antigovernment protests across Iran, which has resulted in widespread violence and an estimated 6,221 deaths. The French government had previously been hesitant to support the designation, fearing it could lead to a complete break in ties with Iran and negatively impact diplomatic relations.
However, Barrot's reversal suggests that France is shifting its stance in response to the international community's growing criticism of the Iranian government's actions. The EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Thursday, where they will likely approve the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
The move has been spearheaded by Italy, and it comes amid global pressure on Iran to address human rights concerns. Other countries, such as Canada and Australia, have already designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Iran's government has dismissed the EU's plans, warning of "destructive consequences" if they go ahead. The country has also summoned the Italian ambassador over Rome's leadership in the move.
Barrot's statement was made in response to the ongoing crackdown on antigovernment protests across Iran, which has resulted in widespread violence and an estimated 6,221 deaths. The French government had previously been hesitant to support the designation, fearing it could lead to a complete break in ties with Iran and negatively impact diplomatic relations.
However, Barrot's reversal suggests that France is shifting its stance in response to the international community's growing criticism of the Iranian government's actions. The EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Thursday, where they will likely approve the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
The move has been spearheaded by Italy, and it comes amid global pressure on Iran to address human rights concerns. Other countries, such as Canada and Australia, have already designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Iran's government has dismissed the EU's plans, warning of "destructive consequences" if they go ahead. The country has also summoned the Italian ambassador over Rome's leadership in the move.
i cant even right now... france is finally showing some backbone after all the protests and deaths in iran 
its about time we stand with the ppl who r fighting 4 their rights, not 4 a corrupt gov that dont care about human life 
jean-noel barrot is literally a hero for speaking up against this regime and i hope others do the same 
the eu finally doing whats right by designating the irgc as a terrorist org is a huge deal 
its been so frustrating watching all these countries play it cool while ppl r dying in iran 
at least now we got some real action happening 
lets keep the pressure on and hope that other countries follow suit 
I mean, yeah, 6k deaths is a lot, but it sounds like the Iranian government is cracking down hard on people who are just speaking out. Does anyone know what's really going on there? Is it just the usual authoritarian governments being super repressive or is there something more to it?
barrot's just trying to save face after france got roasted for being all wishy-washy on this. and now the EU's gonna ram this through with no discussion? please, what about human rights then? it's just another way to bully iran into line. 
I mean, it's good that they're finally acknowledging the human rights situation in Iran is pretty messed up 
. But at the same time, are we really just going to start labeling entire groups of people as terrorists for being anti-government? It feels like we're walking into a minefield over here 
.
It seems like France was all in until recently, and now they're just kinda... along for the ride 
. I hope they don't lose sight of what's really important here - holding those in power accountable for their actions 
.
We might be about to witness some pretty intense diplomatic fallout 
.
So, now that France is finally supporting the EU's plan to designate Iran's IRGC as a terrorist organization, it's like they're trying to make up for lost time... or just prove they're not completely out of touch with reality 
. I mean, who needs diplomatic relations when you've got human rights on the line? And Italy is basically leading the charge on this one – I guess that means France isn't as "éloquent" as they thought 
. Guess you could say they're finally "enlightened" about the situation 
.
i've been saying for ages that Iran's human rights record is bloody horrific and now it seems like europe is finally taking action 
but seriously if france wasn't behind this designation wouldn't it be just more of business as usual with iran? i mean we all know they're not exactly known for respecting human rights anyway 
will france just chill with its new stance or are they gonna, like, sever ties with iran entirely? 
that's my two cents!
. It's all about maintaining relations with Iran, even if it means giving them a slap on the wrist 
. Meanwhile, the Iranian government is just playing dumb and denying any wrongdoing 
!! France finally comes around and supports designating Iran's IRGC as a terrorist org, it's about time 
! I mean, can you believe those protests back in Iran? 6k+ deaths?! 
!
. Let's see if it actually makes a difference 
.
I'm thinking about all those innocent people dying in Iran... it's just heartbreaking 
. This is such a tough situation 
. Those 6,221 deaths are just crazy, and if anyone can make them accountable, it's gotta be the EU. On the other hand, I'm not sure how effective this whole thing is gonna be 
Also, what about the impact on global politics and Iran's relationships with other countries? It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out...
I need to know more about how France decided to flip on this one. It's not like they were the only one holding back, so why now?