Pressure is mounting on the German government from within the Christian Union (CDU/CSU) parliamentary group to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, fueled by escalating mass protests within Iran. The calls reflect a growing divergence between opposition voices and the current government’s stance on Iran.
Norbert Röttgen, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, publicly stated that the IRGC’s placement on the European Union’s terrorism list is long overdue. He emphasized that CDU and CSU had previously and forcefully urged then-Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to pursue this designation, a demand he says remains a key expectation of the present federal government and its foreign minister.
While acknowledging that regime change can only realistically originate from within Iran, driven by the Iranian populace themselves, Röttgen stressed the European governments’ responsibility to provide robust support to the Iranian people’s courageous fight, employing “all possibilities”. This sentiment frames the international response as one of solidarity and empowerment rather than direct intervention.
The urgency of the situation is further echoed by Peter Beyer, a CDU member of parliament and foreign policy expert. He argued that the time for discussion has passed, stating that the German government must immediately designate the IRGC – described as “paramilitary forces” – due to their actions against the Iranian populace, which he characterized as harassment and terrorization. Beyer called for immediate and decisive action from both the interior and foreign ministers, both domestically and within the EU, deeming it a fundamental obligation to the women and men demonstrating for change in Iran.
The calls for the IRGC designation highlight a potential shift in the political landscape surrounding German-Iranian relations, exposing a degree of internal political friction regarding how best to respond to the ongoing crisis. The level of force applied by Iranian authorities against protestors and the IRGC’s perceived role in that effort, are becoming increasingly contentious issues in German political discourse.
