By Michaela Cabrera and Noemie Olive
PARIS (Reuters) – Thousands of opponents of Iran’s ruling authorities rallied for a second day in Paris on Sunday to pressure European Union states to list Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation in response to a crackdown in the country.
Tehran has been engaged in a violent crackdown on protesters since September, including carrying out executions, and it has also detained dozens of European nationals. The EU has become increasingly critical of its actions.
Ties between EU members and Tehran have also deteriorated in recent months as efforts to revive talks on Iran’s nuclear programme have stalled and the country has transferred drones to Russia to help it in its war against Ukraine.
Sunday’s rally in Paris, organised by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and which followed a similar rally on Saturday by European-based Iranians, aimed to highlight the IRGC’s role in cracking down on protesters, but also its activities outside Iran.
“This will be a revolution… The youth know there is no future under this regime. They say they are better off dying in the streets than living in this country with this regime,” said Ela Zabihi, a university lecturer in London.
Widespread anti-government demonstrations erupted in Iran in September after the death of young Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by morality police for allegedly flouting the strict dress code imposed on women.
While some EU member states and the European parliament have pushed for the IRGC to be listed, others have been more cautious fearing that it could lead to a complete break in ties with Iran, harming any chance of reviving nuclear talks and jeopardising any hope of getting their nationals released.
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