Peloni: This was an important achievement for Washington. Is is mere coincidence that the repulsion of Iran’s crackdown on its public was timed long after the crackdown but very shortly after Trump’s negotiations over Greenland at the WEF in Davos? Keep this in mind going forward.
FDD | Jan 29, 2026
Latest Developments
- EU Designates IRGC: The European Union (EU) designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization on January 29. The decision was made after the bloc achieved the unanimity required to formally make the designation, with an official legal adoption of the blacklisting expected in the next few weeks. “Repression cannot go unanswered,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, declared, “Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise.”
- New Sanctions Against Tehran Regime Targets: In addition to adding the IRGC to its terrorism list, EU foreign ministers levied new sanctions against entities and individuals within the Tehran regime who were involved in the violent repression of the latest wave of protests, in which the Islamic Republic slaughtered more than 35,000 Iranian civilians. The sanctions target members of the Iranian government, judiciary, police, as well as the IRGC, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, alongside entities that assisted in imposing a weeks-long internet and communications blackout across Iran.
- Saudi and Israeli Officials in Washington: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived in Washington to meet with Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Saudi Arabia has publicly opposed strikes against Iran and has reportedly been relaying messages between Washington and Tehran. On January 27, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that the kingdom would not allow its airspace and territory to be used to attack Iran. Concurrently, an Israeli military delegation led by IDF Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder is also in Washington to brief officials on specific intelligence on Iran requested by the Trump administration.
FDD Expert Response
“The EU designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization, effectively equating it to the likes of ISIS, is a welcome move. The Islamic Republic is increasingly being defined as an outlaw state, even by European countries that have previously favored diplomacy and engagement with it. All eyes are now on the United Kingdom. In opposition, Keir Starmer promised to make this exact move against the IRGC if he were elected, but his government has so far ducked it despite growing pressure in parliament. He will likely now feel obliged to follow the European Union’s lead.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow
“While the systematic naming and shaming of Iranian persons and entities supporting the regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters, both on the street and in cyberspace, is important, it pales in comparison to the EU’s listing of the IRGC as a terror organization. This move was a long time coming, sought not just by Iranian dissidents and the Iranian diaspora but also by those concerned with the threat to EU security posed by the Islamic Republic. Now is the time for Europe to use this designation as a building block for a better Iran policy.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
“The European Union’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization is a step that is, as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged, long overdue. Nonetheless, it is a positive development that will benefit what is presently a strained transatlantic relationship by aligning EU policy with that of the United States. It also sends an encouraging message to the brave Iranian protest movement by recognizing the terrorist nature of a regime that has slaughtered tens of thousands this month alone.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director
FDD Background and Analysis
“Mapping Protests in Iran,” FDD Interactive Graphic
“‘Next Attack Will Be Far Worse’: Trump Threatens Iran as Regime Denies Negotiations With Washington,” FDD Flash Brief
“Iran’s Executions Have Not Stopped,” by Janatan Sayeh
“Iran and its proxies threaten retaliation against US and Israel amid US military buildup,” by Janatan Sayeh and Bridget Toomey
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