France Backs EU Terror Listing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) -- a powerful military body answering to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- has been accused of playing a frontline role in the deadly crackdown on recent protests.

France "supports the inclusion of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the European list of terrorist organisations," the Elysee said.

It is already listed as a terror group by Australia, Canada and the United States but not yet by the EU or UK.

Italy is to propose the move at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday.

France had widely been seen as reluctant to brand the IRGC as a terror group so its latest statement represents a turnaround by Paris ahead of the EU meeting.

Iran has warned of "destructive consequences" if the IRGC is listed and summoned the Italian ambassador over Rome's efforts.

The IRGC is the ideological arm of Tehran's military and was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the clerical leadership. The Guards control or own companies across the Iranian economy, including major strategic sectors.

The 27-nation bloc was also expected to announce asset freezes and visa bans on 21 individuals and entities -- including high-ranking IRGC members -- at the Brussels meeting.

Iranian authorities acknowledge that thousands were killed during the protests, giving a toll of over 3,000 people, but say the majority were members of the security forces or bystanders killed by "rioters".

Rights groups dispute this, saying the toll is far higher and potentially in the tens of thousands, and noting that protesters were killed by security forces including the IRGC directly firing on them.