Iranian FM warns of retaliation should EU blacklist Revolution Guards

TEHRAN -- Iranian foreign minister said on Sunday that any retaliatory measure, including a pullout of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), by Iran will be possible if Europe does not change its anti-Tehran positions.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remark in an interview with the official parliamentary news agency ICANA, in response to a question whether Iran's withdrawal from the NPT and expulsion of the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be among Tehran's retaliatory measures if the European Union (EU) blacklists the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a "terrorist organization."

The European Parliament on Thursday approved a resolution calling on the EU to designate the IRGC as a "terrorist group."

Describing the European Parliament's move as merely a "show," Amir-Abdollahian said according to remarks by his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom, whose country holds EU's rotating presidency, the Westerners do not seek to implement the resolution.

He noted that the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also said in a Thursday phone call that Europe does not seek to implement the resolution, which is merely a reflection of the emotions of part of the European Parliament's members.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Sunday vowed that the legislative body will brand European countries' armies that are present in the Middle East region as "terror groups and organizations" should Europe blacklist the IRGC, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency.