Serbia has not aligned with the latest decision of the European Union (EU), which places the Iranian Revolutionary Guards on the list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts and subject to restrictive measures, the office of the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced.
The decision in question was adopted on 26 February and updates the list of persons, groups and entities covered by EU restrictive measures in the fight against terrorism.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine have aligned themselves with the decision, the statement adds.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; also known domestically as Sepah or Pasdaran and internationally as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards) is a multi-service primary force of the Iranian Armed Forces.
The IRGC was officially established by Ruhollah Khomeini as a military branch in May 1979 in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution. Whereas the Iranian Army protects the country’s sovereignty in a traditional capacity, the IRGC’s constitutional mandate is to ensure the integrity of the Islamic Republic.
The 2020 edition of The Military Balance, published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), states that the IRGC has about 190,000 active personnel and controls the Basij upon mobilisation, which includes as many as 40,000 active paramilitary forces. It estimates that the Ground Force numbers around 150,000 personnel and that the Aerospace Force, which controls Iran’s strategic missile force, has approximately 15,000 personnel. The Naval Forces are estimated to number at least 20,000, including around 5,000 marines.
(Danas, 12.03.2026)