TEHRAN PAPERS:

Why Council of Europe won’t put IRGC on terror list 

January 23, 2023 - 23:18

TEHRAN- Etemad believes that the Council of Europe will not include the IRGC on its list of terrorist groups. 

The newspaper lists five reasons for this, which are: 

 1- Legal obstacles: 
 
Placing the military entities of a country on the list of terrorist organizations is against international law, and the Council of Europe, in the case of finalizing this proposal of the European Parliament, will violate international law. 

 2- Nuclear consequences: 

 The possible wrong decision will completely sound the death knell of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). By reviewing the statements of the officials of the European countries over the last few months, we see that the end of the JCPOA is the worst for the EU.

3- Regional consequences: 
 
Undoubtedly, regarding the IRGC's record in the past decade in the fight against terrorism in the region, sanctioning it and labeling it terrorist can create a lot of crises in the region. 

 4- Political consequences 
 
Before making any decision, the Council of Europe should carefully consider its effects on Iran and the EU's ties. It is important for Europe to keep its embassies open in Tehran, and the wrong move can have consequences for Europe's economic and regional relations. 

 5- Military consequences 

Such a wrong decision by the Council of Europe can have consequences for the military forces of these countries Because Iran will also take countermeasures. By placing the army of European countries on its list of terrorist groups, Iran will create problems for them.

Kayhan: Europe serves as sandbag to protect US interests

In an article, the Kayhan newspaper refers to the inequality among European Union members and between the EU and the United States.

The newspaper says: Some European governments follow a passive policy toward the EU and the U.S.

They pay the high cost for the U.S. and British ambitions; they play the role of sandbags to protect them. Look at all the member states! Often, the interests of Eastern and Central European countries have been sacrificed for the interests of several Western European governments, and also the United States.

In the past, Iran has experienced Europe's passiveness in failing to honor its commitments to the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the JCPOA.

European governments have been unable to protect their national interests against the greed of America and Zionist Octopus for years.

The United States imposed the high cost of the Ukrainian war on the economy and security of Europe. More than 25,000 companies in Europe have gone bankrupt after the Ukrainian war.

In another part of the article, Kayhan wrote: Western authoritarian governments started two major destructive world wars and then sat back to watch the insecurity of the world. In the last two decades, while announcing the " The Project for the New American Century (PNAC)", the Americans wanted to implement the "New Middle East" and change the map of the region with direct and proxy wars. But the plot failed due to the action of resistance forces.

  On one hand, the Europeans are whispering that the IRGC is a terrorist; on the other, they want to preserve the tattered JCPOA, which has been violated by them 11 times!

  The hostile actions of the European side are definitely an opportunity for Iran to decisively prevent the Western influence and identify the pro-Western currents inside.

Javan: Conspiracy out of desperation

In an article, Javan refers to the move by the European Parliament against the IRGC and writes: This anti-Iran action is the continuation of the same path that America started When Trump was in the White House.

In recent months and after the war in Ukraine, the reality of Iran's military power has become proven to the Westerners and led the Europeans to conclude that if Iran is not contained, a new chapter will begin in global power structure, so they first created internal unrest, then acted against the IRGC.

The finalization of the European resolution against the IRGC will have negative effects and consequences for Iran and of course more for the Europeans and will lead to a type of lawlessness in international arena.

If Europeans go their own way that the others designed for them, they have accepted from now on that the IRGC is not obligated to honor international law and they can no longer ask the Iranian government to limit the IRGC's regional actions because they themselves have accepted that the Iranian government will no longer be responsible for the actions. Not having responsibility in this regard can be extended to all affairs between the IRGC and the armies of these countries.

Also, in possible conflicts between the IRGC and the military forces of these countries, the IRGC will no longer be required to comply with human rights and the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the laws governing war.

The security in the Persian Gulf will also be affected as Europeans will have to give the data of their ships to an organization that they consider terrorist! They even have to wait for the inspection of their ships by the same organization, and in case of violation of these cases, the Iranian government will no longer be responsible for their safety and anything that happens to them.

Farhikhtegan: Europe and two options against Iran

In an article, Farhikhtegan refers to the recent developments in relations between Iran and the European Union following a resolution by the European Parliament designating the IRGC as a terrorist group and writes: The resolution and Tehran's response indicate the rising level of tension between the two sides.

The article also points to Europe's attempt to neutralize the sunset clause of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the war condition in Ukraine, saying:
The deployment of drones in the war in Ukraine caused Westerners to criticize the military interactions between Iran and Russia and put pressure on Iran. But at the same time, we should know that in October 2023, the UN restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program will end (based on the sunset clause), and it will cause the Europeans, who see themselves as defeated in the war in Ukraine, to do the best to undermine it.
  
Although Europe considers sanctions against Iran's drone and missile industries as the best option, it has faced a fundamental challenge. The JCPOA has canceled the limitation, and any direct restriction in this regard will be against the agreement. So, Europe will go towards alternatives with nuclear negotiations: Creating chaos inside the country and declaring the IRGC a terrorist group.

Khorasan: Bibi is in trouble 
 
In an article entitled "Netanyahu's headache", Khorasan writes while only about a month has passed since the formation of the new Netanyahu government, the cabinet ministers have caused many controversies in this short period.  
The occupied territories have become more flammable and Saturdays have turned into Netanyahu's black days. 
Tens of thousands of Zionist settlers are coming to the streets in protest against extremism and illegal actions of the extreme right wings at the Israeli cabinet and they intend to continue the protests until the ruling Likud party and its allies are toppled. 
 
The daily, accordingly, refers to Netanyahu's challenge in dealing with his opponents from outside the cabinet and trouble-makers ministers inside the cabinet, writing: The big problem that Netanyahu's cabinet is facing, which has put it in danger of collapse, is appointment of individuals  to ministerial posts who are not qualified based on the standards of the supreme court. 
 
Now, Bibi is apparently the prime minister, but he is not as powerful as he was in the past; and in fact, he is the head of a governing structure that acts like a board of directors. 
 
Given the current situation, Netanyahu is now at a crossroads. If he continues to oppose the far-right parties, his shaky cabinet will fall down. Also, tolerating extremists in the cabinet amid intensifying internal disputes between officials and party leaders will lead to a full-scale conflict with Palestinians and will force Arab countries to move further away from the path of normalization with Israel.

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