Updates: EU labels Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as ‘terrorist organisation’

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For a breakdown on the escalating tensions between the US and Iran, check out our explainer here.

To learn about the Iranian government’s contingency plans for basic governance in the event of war, read our article here.

And for more on Iran’s response to the EU’s move to designate the IRGC as a “terrorist” group, read here.

We will be closing this live page soon. Here is a recap of today’s main events:

• EU foreign ministers agreed to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a “terrorist organisation”.
• The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has urged tougher action against Tehran, while announcing a new round of sanctions on Iranian officials, including the interior minister.
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions on the IRGC and to list it as a “terrorist” organisation is “illegal” and “political”.
• Iran’s IRGC says the country’s armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any military scenario, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
• Police in Iran’s central province of Yazd have arrested 27 people in connection with recent protests, Tasnim News Agency reports.
• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said there is still room for Iran to strike a deal with the US, but that his department would be ready to “deliver whatever” Trump “expects” if not.

Turkish foreign minister warns against escalation with Iran, explaining how Ankara sees the future of regional security.

Watch the interview below:

The US State Department says it has recently moved to “revoke the privilege of Iranian senior officials and their family members to be in the United States”.

In a statement, the department said “those who profit” from the Iranian government’s “brutal oppression are not welcome to benefit from our immigration system”.

The statement comes several days after the US Department of Homeland Security announced it had deported three Iranians it said are former IRGC members.

As the people of Iran continue to fight for their basic rights, @SecRubio took action this week to revoke the privilege of Iranian senior officials and their family members to be in the United States. Those who profit from the Iranian regime's brutal oppression are not welcome to…

— Department of State (@StateDept) January 29, 2026

Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov says he reiterated his country’s position in a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi during a phone call today.

Azerbaijan is a geographical neighbour of Iran.

His comments come as Iran has threatened to treat countries that allow attacks on it, should anything come of Trump and Israel’s repeated threats, from their territory as hostile.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, says that the EU designation of the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is unfounded because it is “one of the strongest and most effective counterterrorism forces in the world”.

He stressed the IRGC’s long history of combating ISIL (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, saying that this history cannot be denied “except by those who have sided with the terrorists themselves”.

Qassem Soleimani, former leader of the IRGC’s Quds Force before being assassinated by a US strike in 2020, during Trump’s first term as US president, is noted for fighting alongside local militias and cooperating with Iraq’s armed forces to defeat ISIL.

Iran’s foreign minister labelled the EU’s claimed commitment to “universal human rights” hypocritical after the bloc labelled the IRGC a terrorist organisation while continuing to shield Israel from accountability for its genocidal war on Gaza.

Watch the video below:

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has shared a message of concern for Iranian athletes amid unrest in the country, saying it would use “quiet sport diplomacy” to assist when possible.

“At this moment in time, we are particularly concerned about the situation of Iranian athletes impacted by the events unfolding in their country – as we are with all athletes who face conflict and tragedies elsewhere in the world,” the IOC said in a statement.

“We have to be realistic about the IOC’s ability to directly influence global and national affairs. At the same time, we will continue to work with our Olympic stakeholders to help where we can, often through ‌quiet sport diplomacy,” the organisation added.

The statement follows a report by the London-based Iran International news channel, which Al Jazeera could not independently verify, that a 19-year-old wrestler was killed by security forces last week in Iran’s southwestern city of Andimeshk.

A United States official tells Al Jazeera that the country is “closely monitoring” the situation in the Middle East, and that it knows the “nature of the region” very well.

The US has sent its aircraft carrier the USS Lincoln and other military assets into the Arabian Sea, backing up US President Trump’s threats to carry out some kind of military action against Iran.

“There is a flow of our troops and weapons, by land, sea and air, into the Middle East because of the high tension”, the official said, adding that “The threats in the Middle East are constantly evolving and the situation is fluid, and we will do what is necessary to protect our forces.”

Iran’s Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says that the government considers itself to be in a “state of war readiness,” as tensions with the United States continue to escalate.

Addressing a meeting of government officials in Tehran, Aref said Iran “will not be the initiator of a war” but would defend itself “with full force,” adding that the end of any war “will not be determined by the enemies,” in an apparent reference to the US and Israel.

Aref emphasised that Iran must remain prepared for a wartime situation in light of unfolding regional developments.

“Our strategy is that we never start a war, but if it is imposed on us, we will defend ourselves, and the end of the war will not be in the hands of the enemies. We believe in dialogue and logic, but if a war begins, its conclusion will no longer be decided by the enemies,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces has issued another warning to the US, according to Mehr News Agency.

“If the enemy makes a foolish move and again makes a miscalculation, we will respond to them instantly and on the spot”, the spokesperson said.

“In the 12-day war, we realised that hesitation and giving the enemy an opportunity is absolutely unacceptable, and the enemy must be responded to immediately. This has been communicated as a directive by the armed forces”, he added.

The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) has appealed for the protection of health facilities in Iran, saying some have been targets of attacks in recent unrest.

“WHO has confirmed that the Khomeini Hospital, in the western city of Ilam, came under attack earlier in January,” said the organisation’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a post on X. He added that in other attacks nationwide, “more than 50 paramedics were injured and over 200 ambulances damaged”.

“It is imperative that health facilities are protected and be able to deliver their critical health services in an unimpeded manner,” said the WHO chief. “This is fundamental to the provision of healthcare required by all people who need services, especially during times of crisis.”

“Healthcare should never be a target,” he added.

I am deeply concerned by multiple reports of health personnel and medical facilities in Iran being impacted by the recent insecurity, and prevented from delivering their essential services to people requiring care.

In recent days, there have been reports of health workers…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 29, 2026

Tensions are high, and so are the stakes, following recent political decisions and military posturing by the United States and its Western allies. The European Union’s latest move [to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organisation”] is widely seen as another factor complicating an already delicate situation for Iran, especially in the days after US President Donald Trump’s military threats aimed at pressuring Tehran.

The General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces has condemned the EU decision as illogical, irresponsible and aligned with US policy. It is also worth recalling that in 2019, the United States designated the IRGC as a foreign “terrorist organisation”.

Overall, Tehran has issued strong statements of criticism in response to the EU’s action. Yet for the IRGC, this may feel like a familiar pattern, given their long history of facing similar measures such as sanctions from the West.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has called for diplomacy to resolve spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, as both trade military threats amid US President Donald Trump’s push for a nuclear deal with Tehran.

“We believe that it’s important that there is a dialogue allowing for an agreement in relation, namely, to the nuclear question and that we can avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences in the region,” Guterres told reporters.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has spoken with the emir of Qatar and the prime minister of Pakistan to discuss the latest regional developments, the Iranian presidency has said in a statement.

According to the presidency, Pezeshkian stressed “the importance of strengthening unity among Islamic countries” and the “continuation of diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions”.

“If the United States seeks genuine diplomacy, it must put an end to what he described as provocative actions,” it added.

The statement said Iran has chosen the “path of dialogue and dignified diplomacy”, the while adding that the country “will not hesitate to defend itself if necessary”.