Seimas designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and condemned Iran’s military support to Russia

Press release, 3 October 2024

The Seimas adopted a resolution stating that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a terrorist organisation. Emanuelis Zingeris, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, noted that its activities pose a threat to international security and stability.

The adopted Resolution condemns Iran’s steadily increasing military support to Russia in its military aggression against Ukraine, as well as the direct drone and missile attacks launched on Israel and its population on 13 April and 1 October. The Seimas also condemned the cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its ally the Russian with Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Ansar Allah (the Houthis) as well as other terrorist organisations and support provided to them, regardless of their crimes and attacks perpetrated in third countries and international waters.

Iran has been supplying Russia since 2022 with drones and ammunition used against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian population and, since September 2024, with ballistic missiles, which will inflict even greater suffering on the Ukrainian population.

The Lithuanian Parliament called on the European Union to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the EU terrorist list and on the parliaments of all democratic states to join in recognising the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. 

The Seimas urged the European Union to adopt, together with partner countries, new packages of sanctions against Iran, targeting individuals and enterprises involved in the development of Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programmes and their transfer to Russia and terrorist organisations, as well as imposing restrictive measures against the Iranian aviation sector.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been designated a terrorist organisation by the US and Canada.

The Resolution thereon was adopted unanimously by 60 votes in favour.

Prepared by

Rimas Rudaitis, Adviser, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 209 6132, e-mail: [email protected]