PARIS: Iran said Monday that a US attack of any scale would spur the Islamic republic to respond &quot;ferociously&quot;, after President Donald Trump said he was considering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-considering-limited-military-strike-on-iran" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">limited strikes against</a>&nbsp;the country.&nbsp;The United States has built up forces in the Middle East to pile pressure on Iran to make a deal at negotiations due to restart on Thursday, with Trump weighing a limited strike if no agreement is reached.&nbsp;On Monday Iran&#39;s foreign ministry reiterated that any strike, even limited, would be &quot;would be regarded as an act of aggression. Period&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;And any state would react to an act of aggression as part of its inherent right of self-defence ferociously so that&#39;s what we would do,&quot; ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a briefing in Tehran attended by an AFP journalist.&nbsp;The two countries concluded a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland on Tuesday under Omani mediation.&nbsp;Further talks, confirmed by Iran and Oman but not by the United States, are scheduled for Thursday.&nbsp;The European Union, which has been sidelined in mediation on Iran, called for a diplomatic solution ahead of the talks.&nbsp;&quot;We don&#39;t need another war in this region. We already have a lot,&quot; EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers.&nbsp;&quot;It is true that Iran is at its weakest point that they have been. We should be really using this time to find a diplomatic solution.&quot;&nbsp;Iran&#39;s clerical authorities have faced recent steep challenges, including a wave of mass protests that peaked in January, last year&#39;s 12-day war with Israel, and the weakening of Iran&#39;s regional proxies.&nbsp;Fears of conflictIran has, however, insisted only discussions on the country&#39;s nuclear programme are on the table at mediated talks. The West believes the programme is aimed at making a bomb, which Tehran denies.&nbsp;Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is leading the negotiations for Iran, while the United States is represented by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner.&nbsp;Trump is wondering why Iran has not &quot;capitulated&quot; in the face of Washington&#39;s military deployment, Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News broadcast over the weekend.&nbsp;Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.&nbsp;Trump had initially threatened military action over the violent crackdown on the protests that rights groups say saw thousands of people killed by security forces, but his attention soon shifted to Iran&#39;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;Scattered anti-government protests have continued in the country, despite the threat of suppression and arrests.&nbsp;Students rallied to commemorate those killed in competing pro- and anti-government demonstrations as the university semester restarted over the weekend.&nbsp;Iranians&#39; fears of a new conflict have grown and the concerns have also prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran.&nbsp;India on Monday joined Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia in calling for its citizens -- estimated at 10,000 in the country by the foreign ministry -- to leave Iran.

Central Asia

Americas

Iran says that US attack of any scale would spur the Islamic republic to respond "ferociously", after President Donald Trump said he was considering limited strikes against the country

Iran says would respond 'ferociously' to any US attack, even limited strikes

Web Desk

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that recent talks between Iran and the United States had produced &ldquo;encouraging signals,&rdquo; but stressed that Tehran remains prepared for any possible scenario.&nbsp;&ldquo;Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region. Recent negotiations included the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario,&rdquo; Pezeshkian wrote on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 320px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025631856285057217&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=7bf5e8c4d6cf2c3dac0caee1fbff48c1f0da1814&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Iran and the United States have held two rounds of talks this month focused on Tehran&rsquo;s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic republic.&nbsp;The discussions, held in Oman on Feb. 6 and in Switzerland on Feb. 17, marked the first such engagement since the 12-day war launched by Israel in June last year, which the United States later joined.&nbsp;Amid the negotiations, Washington has deployed aircraft carriers and other military assets to the region, while warning Tehran of possible military action.&nbsp;Earlier, Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iranus-talks-expected-thursday-despite-fears-of-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">likely to meet US Special Envoy</a> Steve Witkoff in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday for a new round of negotiations. Speaking to CBS News on Sunday, Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said details of a possible deal were being drawn up ahead of the renewed talks on Tehran&#39;s nuclear program, after Washington&#39;s envoy Steve Witkoff had publicly wondered why Tehran had not yet &quot;capitulated.&quot; Badr Albusaidi, foreign minister of regional mediator Oman, said talks would resume on Thursday in Geneva &quot;with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.&quot; US threats of military action have multiplied since a nationwide protest movement in Iran sparked a crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands. On Sunday, Iranian students held competing pro- and anti-government protests, with critics of the clerical leadership risking arrest or worse if they are caught. &quot;If the US attacks us, then we have every&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fm-says-iran-has-right-to-selfdefence-if-us-attacks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">right to defend ourselves</a>,&quot; Araghchi said, alluding to American interests in the region as potential targets. Still, he said, &quot;there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution.&quot;

Middle East

Says the country continues to monitor US actions closely and has made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.

Iranian president says recent talks with US show encouraging signals

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday he is contemplating a limited military strike on Iran, in case a deal on its nuclear program is not reached.&nbsp;Asked by a reporter if he is &quot;considering a limited military strike if Iran doesn&#39;t make a deal,&quot; Trump answered: &quot;The most I can say I am considering it.&quot;

US President Donald Trump said he may order a limited military strike on Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.

Trump says 'considering' limited military strike on Iran

ISLAMABAD: The United States has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East in recent days ahead of what Israeli media reports describe as &quot;preparations for a potential joint US-Israeli military campaign against Tehran.&quot;&nbsp; Israeli outlets, including The Times of Israel, cited security sources as saying the emerging plan would likely go beyond limited, symbolic strikes and instead involve coordinated American and Israeli action. Sources quoted in the reports indicated the operation could surpass the scale of the 12-day Israeli-led bombing campaign carried out last June, the operation the US later joined under the codename Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. According to Israeli reports, the confrontation could begin sooner than many anticipate and may be far broader in scope than previous escalations. US media echoes the sameIt is not only the Israeli media; the US media have also echoed similar reports about a potential campaign against Iran.&nbsp; CBS News was the first major American outlet to report on Wednesday that top national security officials have told President Donald&nbsp;Trump the military is ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday. CNN also reported on Thursday that the US military has been placed on high readiness to strike Iranian targets this weekend. Still, President Trump has not yet made a final call on authorizing military action. But one source cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action and has polled advisers and allies on the best course of action, CNN said. Military buildup and strategic postureOver the past week, US military assets in the Middle East have increased. Reports indicate deployments include aircraft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-aircraft-carrier-located-near-iran-as-washington-increases-military-pressure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">carrier</a>&nbsp;strike groups, advanced fighter aircraft, aerial refueling tankers, and support units, a buildup described as one of the most significant in the region in years. The New York Post reported that President Trump is sending the USS Gerald R Ford, along with F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft and refuelling tankers, toward the region. The naval news outlet US Naval Institute reported that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its strike group departed the Atlantic and were heading toward the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar. BBC Verify said on Tuesday it has tracked 12 US ships in the Middle East in recent weeks, including destroyers positioned in Bahrain, the eastern Mediterranean near the Souda Bay base, and the Red Sea. Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday posted on X, saying, &quot;The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware&quot;. &quot;However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.&quot;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2023707826011378060&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4286%2F&sessionId=95318898e0030ebf9e8668c5941f779cfe26e718&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The USS Gerald R Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups, along with accompanying vessels, would provide both offensive and defensive capabilities if operations are authorized. CBS also reported that the Pentagon is temporarily relocating some US personnel from parts of the Middle East, primarily to Europe or back to the United States, as a precaution ahead of potential Iranian retaliation if military action proceeds. Diplomacy still in playDespite the heightened military posture, there has been no public confirmation from the White House or Pentagon of an imminent strike order. US officials&nbsp;have maintained that diplomatic engagement remains the preferred course. Indirect talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-us-hold-new-geneva-talks-as-khamenei-warns-of-sinking-us-warship" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geneva</a>&nbsp;between US negotiators and Iranian representatives concluded this week, with Iranian officials saying progress was made on broad principles, though significant differences remain. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Wednesday that there are &ldquo;many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,&rdquo; but stressed that diplomacy remains President Trump&rsquo;s first option. &ldquo;Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration,&rdquo; she said. As of Thursday, no formal declaration of military action had been issued by Washington, and the situation remains fluid.

STOCKSHOTS: World's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (AFP)

The United States is increasing its military presence in the Middle East amid reports of a possible joint US-Israeli strike on Iran; media outlets are citing operational readiness, while President Trump has not yet officially authorized any action.

US builds up forces in Middle East as Israeli media report possible joint strike on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Satellite imagery has confirmed the location of US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln near Iran, as Washington intensifies pressure over Tehran&rsquo;s military program, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported Tuesday.&nbsp; According to BBC Verify, publicly available European Sentinel-2 satellite images show the nuclear-powered Nimitz-class carrier in the Arabian Sea, around 150 miles (240km) off the coast of Oman &mdash; roughly 700km from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-iran-of-consequences-of-not-making-a-deal" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>. The vessel leads a strike group that includes three Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers and carries around 90 aircraft, including F-35 fighter jets, with a total crew of about 5,680. The carrier was reportedly deployed to the Gulf region in late January but had not appeared in satellite imagery until now due to limited coverage over open waters. BBC Verify said it has tracked 12 US ships in the Middle East in recent weeks, including destroyers positioned in Bahrain, the eastern Mediterranean near the Souda Bay base, and the Red Sea. It also observed increased deployments of F-15 and EA-18 fighter jets to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, along with a rise in US cargo, refuelling, and communications aircraft heading to the region. According to the report, US and Iranian officials are set to meet in Switzerland on Tuesday for a second round of talks. Iran says discussions will focus on its nuclear program and the possible lifting of US economic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-ready-for-nuclear-compromise-if-us-lifts-sanctions" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">sanctions</a>, while Washington has indicated it wants broader issues addressed. In response to the US build-up, Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched maritime drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route through which roughly a fifth of the world&rsquo;s oil and gas supplies pass. Military intelligence analyst Justin Crump told BBC Verify the current US deployment shows &ldquo;more depth and sustainability&rdquo; than previous operations, including last year&rsquo;s actions against Venezuela and strikes on Iran&rsquo;s nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer. He said the present posture appears designed not only for strike capability but broader deterrence, with the ability to scale operations up or down.

BBC Verify confirms the USS Abraham Lincoln’s location near Iran via satellite imagery, highlighting an expanded US military build-up as nuclear talks loom.

US aircraft carrier located near Iran as Washington increases pressure

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that his country would &quot;not yield to excessive demands&quot; on its nuclear programme, after Tehran resumed talks with the United States.&nbsp;He also said Iran was ready for &quot;any verification&quot; of its nuclear program and insisted it was not seeking an atomic weapon.&nbsp;Iran and the United States resumed negotiations last week for the first time since the war with Israel last June, which saw the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-warns-against-instability-after-us-strike-group-arrives" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US conduct strikes</a>&nbsp;on nuclear sites in Iran.&nbsp;&quot;Our Iran will not yield in the face of aggression, but we are continuing dialogue with all our strength with neighbouring countries to establish peace and tranquillity in the region,&quot; Pezeshkian said.&nbsp;He was speaking at Azadi Square in the capital Tehran, to mark the 47th anniversary of Iran&#39;s Islamic revolution.&nbsp;&quot;Our country, Iran, will not yield to their excessive demands,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Iran wants the talks to remain centred purely on its nuclear programme, while the United States also wants the Islamic republic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/netanyahu-to-push-trump-on-iran-missiles-in-white-house-talks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ballistic missile program</a>&nbsp;and its support for fighter groups in the region to be discussed.&nbsp;Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, though Western countries and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/netanyahu-to-discuss-iran-talks-with-trump-in-washington-wednesday" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Israel believe</a>&nbsp;it is seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon.&nbsp;Every year, supporters of Iran&#39;s leadership turn out in force to mark the anniversary of the revolution that ousted the US-backed shah in 1979.&nbsp;At Azadi Square on Wednesday, an AFP correspondent saw a large security presence, bigger than in previous years.&nbsp;Veiled women waved the flag of the Islamic republic and carried pictures of Iran&#39;s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In this handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses cabinet members, as they visit the tomb of the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in Tehran on January 31, 2026.(Photo: AF

Says Iran is ready for "any verification" of its nuclear programme and insists it is not seeking an atomic weapon.

Iran president says will not 'give in to excessive demands'

Web Desk/AFP

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push Donald Trump on Wednesday to take a tougher stance in nuclear talks with Iran, after rushing to Washington to stiffen the US president&#39;s resolve, AFP reported. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- set to begin at 11:00 am local time (1600 GMT) -- that he was weighing sending a second US &ldquo;armada&rdquo; to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. Seizing tankers &nbsp;A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report published on Tuesday stated that US is weighing seizing tankers carrying Iranian oil to pressure Tehran, but using a strategy the White House directed at Venezuela is seen as likely to spark retaliation by Tehran and a surge in oil prices. Trump administration officials have discussed whether to seize additional tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil but have held off, concerned about Tehran&rsquo;s near-certain retaliation and the impact on global oil markets, US officials said. The US has seized several ships that have carried Iranian oil as part of its two-month-old blockade of sanctioned tankers serving Venezuela, the WSJ report said. &lsquo;Destructive influence&rsquo; &nbsp;But <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/netanyahu-to-discuss-iran-talks-with-trump-in-washington-wednesday" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Netanyahu</a>, making his sixth visit to the United States since Trump took office, will also be urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran&#39;s ballistic missile program, AFP reported. Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of &ldquo;destructive influences&rdquo; on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier&#39;s visit. Netanyahu had been expected to come to Washington for a February 19 meeting of Trump&#39;s &ldquo;Board of Peace&rdquo; for Gaza, but reportedly brought forward his visit as the US-Iran talks proceeded. What does Trump think?&nbsp;While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet on Tuesday that he was &ldquo;thinking&rdquo; of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. &ldquo;Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,&rdquo; Trump told Axios. &ldquo;We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going.&rdquo; Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran&#39;s nuclear sites during Israel&#39;s 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve &ldquo;no nuclear weapons, no missiles.&rdquo; He added that Iran&#39;s leaders &quot;want to make a deal&quot; but &quot;it&#39;s got to be a good deal&quot;, saying Tehran had been &quot;very dishonest with us over the years.&quot; What are Netanyahu&#39;s goals?&nbsp;Netanyahu said as he left for Washington his talks would &quot;first and foremost&quot; be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. &quot;I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations,&quot; he said in a video statement before his departure.&nbsp; Netanyahu&#39;s office said he would highlight Iran&#39;s missile arsenal. Israel&rsquo;s concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran&#39;s ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. What about the West Bank?&nbsp;The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners.Israel&#39;s security cabinet approved the move ahead of Netanyahu&#39;s Washington visit.&nbsp; It is unclear whether the US president intends to bring them up. A US official said on Monday that Trump &quot;does not support Israel annexing the West Bank&quot; and wants stability, while holding off from directly criticizing the Israeli government&#39;s moves. How many meetings?&nbsp;Wednesday&#39;s meeting will be the sixth encounter between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican&#39;s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza.

Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of ‘destructive influences’ on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier's visit.

Netanyahu to push Trump on Iran missiles in White House talks

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday to &quot;discuss with him the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-fm-looks-to-more-nuclear-talks-but-warns-us" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">negotiations with Iran</a>,&quot; the premier&#39;s office said.&nbsp;Netanyahu &quot;believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,&quot; his office said in a statement on Saturday, referring to Iran&#39;s allies in the region.&nbsp;Iran and the US held&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-talks-with-iran-very-good-more-negotiations-expected" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">negotiations in Oman</a> on Friday, and Trump later said the talks would resume early next week.

Europe

Set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss Iran talks, pushing missile limits and curbs on Tehran’s regional allies after US-Iran negotiations resume momentum this week

Netanyahu to discuss Iran talks with Trump in Washington Wednesday

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump&#39;s lead negotiator with Iran, Steve Witkoff, said on Saturday that he visited the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, currently in the Arabian Sea, as Washington and Tehran prepare to hold further talks soon.&nbsp;&quot;Today, Adm. Brad Cooper, Commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, Jared Kushner, and I met with the brave sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, her strike group, and Carrier Air Wing 9 who are keeping us safe and upholding President Trump&#39;s message of peace through strength,&quot; said Witkoff in a social media post.&nbsp;Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday he hoped talks with the United States would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran&#39;s red lines and warning against any American attack.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff visits USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, projecting US military resolve as Washington and Tehran prepare further talks, with Iran signalling readiness to resume negotiations while warning against any American attack.

Top Trump Iran negotiator visits US aircraft carrier in Middle East

ISLAMABAD: Iran has declared European countries&#39; armies &quot;terrorist groups,&quot; the parliament speaker said Sunday, following the EU&#39;s decision to apply the same designation to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, AFP reported on Sunday. Dressed in a Guards uniform in a show of solidarity, speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that under &quot;Article 7 of the Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization, the armies of European countries are considered terrorist groups.&quot; It remained unclear what immediate impact the decision would have. &lsquo;Shameful and irresponsible&rsquo;&nbsp;According to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iranian-president-says-war-neither-in-interest-of-iran-nor-us" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iranian</a>&nbsp;state-run Press TV report published on Friday, Iran&rsquo;s Army has condemned the European Union&rsquo;s move to add the country&rsquo;s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to its so-called terrorist list as &ldquo;shameful&rdquo; and &ldquo;irresponsible.&rdquo; &ldquo;This hostile action &hellip; adds another stain of shame to the black record of European colonialists,&quot; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/qatar-says-its-fm-in-iran-to-reduce-tensions-in-region" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iranian Army</a>&nbsp;said in a statement on Friday. Move aimed to &lsquo;please US president&rsquo;&nbsp;The statement noted that the action comes as &ldquo;today&rsquo;s Europe is divided&rdquo; and &ldquo;doesn&rsquo;t play an important role in the current international system,&rdquo; adding that the move aims to please US President Donald Trump and gain his support in resolving Europe&rsquo;s problems, including the war in Ukraine, the issue of Greenland -- which Trump wants to take over -- and the weakening of NATO. According to another Press TV report, Iran&rsquo;s top security official, Ali Larijani, also quoted the same domestic law, saying the country considers the armed forces of European Union countries that have blacklisted the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps as &ldquo;terrorist organizations.&rdquo;

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf says under ‘Article 7 of the Law on Countermeasures Against the Declaration of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization, the armies of European countries are considered terrorist groups.’

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