Iran considers the armies of EU countries that have listed the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization to be "terrorist groups," Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The European Union made a symbolic shift in its approach to Iran's leadership on Thursday by listing the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, following what have been the Islamic Republic's bloodiest crackdown on protesters since its founding in 1979.
Ghalibaf told fellow lawmakers, who were all wearing Revolutionary Guards uniforms in support of the force, "By trying to strike the Revolutionary Guards... the Europeans shot themselves in the foot and once again made a decision against the interests of their own people by blindly obeying the Americans."
"According to Article 7 of the law on counter-measures for the designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, the armies of European countries are considered terrorist groups," he added.
Ghalibaf added, "The parliamentary committee for national security will discuss the expulsion of military attachés from EU countries and will follow up on the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
After the parliament speaker concluded his speech, lawmakers chanted "Death to America, shame on you, Europe."
The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement released on Sunday that the EU's decision complicates "the path of constructive engagement and cooperation" and reinforces "the path of confrontation."
The Revolutionary Guards were founded after the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution to protect the ruling system and wield significant influence in the country, controlling vast sectors of the economy and armed forces.
The step taken by the European Union comes at a time when the United States is strengthening its naval presence in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with intervention unless it agreed to a nuclear deal or stopped killing protesters.
Official media quoted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying on Sunday that if Washington attacked his country, it would turn into a regional conflict.
