The European Union (EU) moved Thursday to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, with Germany pledging to turn the decision into a legally binding listing as fast as possible.

The move also came alongside a new round of EU sanctions targeting Iranian officials and entities amid the violent crackdown on protests and mass killings that have swept across the country since Dec. 28.

Tehran’s military support for Russia was also included in the measures.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the designation and the sanctions package Thursday.

ARMED MILITIAS FIRE HEAVY MACHINE GUNS THROUGH TEHRAN STREETS IN DEADLY NIGHT ATTACKS

"I welcome the political agreement on new sanctions against the murderous Iranian regime," von der Leyen wrote in a post on X. "And on the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. This was long overdue."

She added: "‘Terrorist’ is indeed how you call a regime that crushes its own people’s protests in blood. Europe stands with the people of Iran in their brave fight for freedom."

Meanwhile, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the EU would move quickly to implement the designation, calling it a strong political signal that reflected the scale of repression inside Iran.

"The next step will be the rapid implementation towards a legally binding listing," Wadephul warned, adding that the EU stood "side by side with the Iranian people" against repression.

Wadephul accused the IRGC and its auxiliary forces of meeting protesters with extreme violence, carrying out executions, and having a destabilizing role across the Middle East.

As of Thursday, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 6,373 confirmed fatalities, with an additional 17,091 deaths under review.

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The organization also cited continued communication restrictions, limited internet restoration, and ongoing economic and social fallout, saying arrests and security pressure had entered what it described as a "post-crackdown phase."

According to Reuters, EU foreign ministers also approved new human rights sanctions targeting Iranian "individuals and entities" linked to the suppression of protests.

Those sanctioned include Iran’s interior minister, senior IRGC commanders, police chiefs, judges from revolutionary courts, and cyber officials involved in censorship and surveillance.

Some will also be sanctioned for "providing support" to Russia, Reuters noted.

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The U.S. designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019. Canada followed in June 2024. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also designated the IRGC as a terrorist group.

Advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) welcomed the EU’s move and urged swift implementation, calling on the U.K. to follow suit.

"UANI applauds the EU for announcing its intention to designate the IRGC, the Islamic Republic’s ideological army, as the terrorists that they are," the group said in a statement."We now urge the United Kingdom to proscribe the IRGC, following the lead of the EU, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The IRGC must be denied the ability to operate with impunity abroad."

Reacting to the news, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized the EU's designation.

"The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is one of the strongest and most effective anti-terrorism forces in the world; only those who stand on the side of the terrorists themselves could deny the IRGC's record in the fight against ISIS terrorism," he said in a post on X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a long-anticipated document on U.S. security guarantees is "100% ready" for signing, with Kyiv now waiting for its American partners to confirm the date and place before the agreement moves to ratification in both the U.S. Congress and the Ukrainian parliament.

"For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100% ready," Zelenskyy said Sunday at a joint press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, according to a translation of his remarks from Reuters.

Zelenskyy reiterated at the press conference that Ukraine views membership in the European Union as another core security guarantee and is aiming to join the bloc by 2027, the Ukrainian president's office said in a statement on its website.

His remarks come after Ukraine, Russia and the United States held trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi for two days over the weekend.

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Zelenskyy said on X that the discussions, which involved political and military representatives from all three sides, were "constructive" and focused on potential parameters for ending his country's war with Russia.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST ATTACK ON UKRAINE THIS MONTH FOLLOWING TRUMP'S MEETING WITH PUTIN, ZELENSKYY

The talks in the United Arab Emirates followed a meeting in Moscow on Thursday between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and head of the Federal Acquisition Service Josh Gruenbaum.

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said the "extremely frank" discussions lasted roughly four hours and included U.S. officials updating Moscow on their recent conversations with Ukrainian and European leaders, according to a summary of the meeting from the Kremlin.

Territorial issues remain a key obstacle in the negotiations, with Moscow pressing Kyiv to relinquish parts of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that Russian forces do not fully control.

ZELENSKYY SAYS UKRAINE, AHEAD OF TRUMP MEETING, IS ‘WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES’ TO END WAR WITH RUSSIA

U.S. officials told Axios that negotiations examined the full range of unresolved issues, from Russia’s territorial demands in the Donbas to control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and potential steps to prevent a return to fighting.

Another U.S. official told the outlet a second round of talks is scheduled to take place on Feb. 1.

President Donald Trump has suggested his proposed "Board of Peace" in Gaza could replace the U.N., underscoring what one national security analyst has described as a revision of the "existing international order."

Asked Tuesday whether he envisioned the new body supplanting the U.N., Trump replied, "It might."

Speaking at a White House press conference, the president also told reporters the U.N. has consistently failed to fulfill its mission.

"The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the UN, but it has never lived up to its potential," Trump said. While arguing the U.N. should continue to exist, he added, "The UN should have settled every one of the wars that I settled."

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National security analyst Kobi Michael claimed the proposal already signaled a break with the international order that has defined global politics for decades.

"The norms, international institutions and organizations and liberalism are out, and real politics, interests and power are in," Prof. Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, before adding that "the EU is much less important."

Michael's comments come as the Trump administration moved forward with plans for the board, an initiative officials say extends far beyond the immediate conflict in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement Jan. 16, the White House said, in alignment with the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, the "Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development."

US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH 'LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE' BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, preparations are said to be underway for a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland with Bloomberg first reporting the plans.

"Dozens" of countries were invited, officials confirmed, with formal invitations sent Friday. Trump extended invitations to leaders from Russia, Belarus, China, Ukraine, India, Canada, Argentina, Jordan, Egypt, Hungary, and Vietnam, among others.

The White House said Trump will chair the Board of Peace and be joined by senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and billionaire Marc Rowan.

According to Michael, the initiative reflects a new approach to the international system.

"We are talking about something which is much bigger than the Gaza Strip," he said, before describing "a revisionist approach of President Trump regarding the existing international order, where the board is a tool in his vision of changing the existing international order."

Michael said Iran sits at the center of that calculation, as protests engulfed the country amid economic and political pressure.

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"Iran is the real game changer, and we are in front of a very significant and dramatic change, well coordinated with Prime Minister Netanyahu," he said.

Russia’s role on the board is uncertain, with the Trump administration extending invitations to Russia and Belarus, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming President Vladimir Putin is reviewing the offer.

Michael suggested Moscow’s participation would come with conditions. "If Putin is in it, it will be in order to finish the Ukrainian war and be forced to give up on some major demands," he said. 

"The president invited Putin to join the board basing an understanding with him about division of power and influence, promising him to relieve sanctions and cut a deal."

"Still, alliances are out, whereas allies and regional structures are in," Michael added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

A Danish lawmaker told President Donald Trump to "f--- off" during a recent heated debate at the European Parliament over the future of Greenland.

Footage shows European Parliament member Anders Vistisen unleashing the rebuke during a session focused on U.S. interest in Greenland and amid Trump's drive to acquire the Arctic territory, according to reports.

The outburst came as Trump continued to float the idea of bringing Greenland under American control in a bid to bolster what he says is a national and global security necessity.

DENMARK RAMPS UP DEFENSES IN GREENLAND AS TRUMP ZEROS IN ON CONTROL OF TERRITORY

Addressing the European Union’s legislative body, Vistisen, 38, directly confronted Trump’s long-standing interest.

Vistisen said Greenland was not for sale before escalating his remarks in language that violated parliamentary rules. 

"Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr. President, f--- off," Vistisen added, drawing reactions from the chamber.

TRUMP'S GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD LIKELY ENTAIL ENORMOUS PRICE TAG: REPORT

Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță quickly intervened, admonishing the lawmaker for his language and warning of consequences.

"I am sorry, colleague, this is against our rules," Ștefănuță said. 

"We have clear rules about cuss words and language that is inappropriate in this room. I am sorry to interrupt you. It is unacceptable, even if you might have strong political feelings about this."

Following the reprimand, Vistisen finished the remainder of his remarks in Danish before leaving the podium.

The incident comes as Trump has renewed public pressure on the issue of Greenland, a strategically located Arctic territory that belongs to Denmark and a NATO ally of the U.S.

WHY TRUMP ZEROED IN ON GREENLAND AND WHY IT MATTERS IN 3 MAPS

Asked Monday in an NBC interview whether he would consider using force to take Greenland, Trump responded, "No comment."

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Trump continued to push the issue Jan. 19, revealing on Truth Social that he spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and agreed to further discussions in Davos, Switzerland.

"Greenland is imperative for national and world security," Trump wrote. "There can be no going back."

Trump is also scheduled to speak Jan. 21 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Greenland question is expected to loom large.

Meanwhile, the topic of Greenland has strained relations with U.S. allies, including Canada. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney has emphasized solidarity with Denmark, stating, "We are NATO partners with Denmark, and our obligations stand."

President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," warning that global security and U.S. national defense were at stake.

Trump made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. has subsidized Denmark and other European Union nations for decades by failing to charge tariffs and providing what he described as "maximum protection."

"We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration," Trump wrote.

TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND

"Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!"

Trump wrote that both China and Russia want Greenland and he said there was "not a thing that Denmark can do about it."

"They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!" Trump wrote. 

"Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake."

Trump said that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have "journeyed" to Greenland, for "purposes unknown," posing a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet.

EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT

"All of the above-mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America," Trump wrote. 

On June 1, 2026, the tariff will be increased to 25%, he said. 

"This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island at a strategic crossroads in the Arctic, and floated the idea of tariffs being imposed on Friday. 

A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a crucial U.S. military base and has taken on growing strategic importance as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to a wealth of natural resources.

In his Saturday post, Trump said the United States has tried to purchase Greenland for more than 150 years but that Denmark has repeatedly refused. 

He tied the push to modern weapons systems and the "Golden Dome," saying hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on related security programs and that the system can only work at maximum efficiency if Greenland is included. 

"The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump’s remarks come as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the tariffs he imposed in 2025 were legal.

Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report. 

While thousands of Iranians take to the streets daily demanding the downfall of the Islamic Republic, people in the small European country of Georgia, along Russia’s southern border, have been protesting at various levels of intensity for over a year following disputed parliamentary elections in 2024.

Everyday Georgians who are still braving freezing temperatures and allegations of violence by the authorities are looking at their peers fighting for democracy in Iran and seeing their own struggle playing out against a corrupt and unpopular regime.

"When you walk through the demonstrations every day in Tbilisi, all people talk about is Iran. The heated debate over it shows how much it matters and how optimism is out on the streets due to developments despite controversies," Tinatin Khidasheli, former defense minister of Georgia, told Fox News Digital.

IRAN'S ETHNIC MINORITIES COULD HOLD KEY TO REGIME'S FATE AS PROTESTS CONTINUE

"Developments in Iran resonate in a very human way: if people can challenge a far more despotic and violent regime, it reinforces the belief that resistance in Georgia is not futile," Khidasheli added.

Mass protests began shortly after the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party claimed victory in elections in October 2024 and halted Georgia’s efforts to join the European Union.

Georgians have long desired to move closer to the West and join the European Union, with opinion polls showing overwhelming support for joining the bloc. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze halted Tbilisi’s accession path to join the EU shortly after taking power, sparking anger from many.

Tbilisi's main Rustaveli Avenue has been crowded with protesters chanting and blocking traffic, outraged at the ruling party pulling Georgia away from Europe and closer to a Russian-oriented foreign policy.

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Erekle Koplatadze, a 33-year-old from Tbilisi, has been participating in protests almost daily since November 2024. Koplatadze, who was detained for six days for allegedly blocking a road while protesting in November 2025, told Fox News Digital that there has been a feeling of solidarity with the protests in Iran since people rose up in December against economic mismanagement and regime corruption. 

"You will see many Lion and Sun flags (Iran's national flag until the 1979 Islamic Revolution) in front of Georgia’s Parliament. And there have been protests in front of the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi," Koplatadze said.

Koplatadze said the news coming out of Iran and the regime’s brutal violence employed against innocent people has shaken many Georgians in the crowd and a shared sense of empathy has emerged.

"I don’t remember such a big protest in Tbilisi in support of a foreign nation except for Ukraine," he said.

Ana Riaboshenko, co-founder of the "Initiative Culture For Democracy" who attends protests on a regular basis, told Fox News Digital that developments in Iran directly affect Georgia, as well as all the countries in the region. 

"Its transformation from a terrorist state to a democratic government will significantly change the situation and indeed contribute substantially to the global power balance and economy.  A particularly positive outcome is expected with the collapse of the Russian-Iranian partnership."

G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

Riaboshenko pointed out that Russian-backed Georgian Dream representatives positioned themselves as partners with Tehran and bilateral relations and cooperation have increased since the rigged elections of 2024.

Civic IDEA, a Georgian NGO, issued a report in July 2025 detailing how Iranian businessmen and companies use Georgia as a strategic transit point to evade international sanctions and channel funds back to Iran. 

Nearly 13,000 Iranian companies are registered in Georgia, according to the Civic IDEA report.

Marika Mikiashvili, Foreign Secretary of party Droa, part of the largest democratic alliance in Georgia, spoke to Fox News Digital and said while Georgians are in awe and very inspired by the bravery of Iranians, their struggle is a warning sign as much as it is profoundly inspiring.

"Many protesters see Iran as a cautionary tale of what happens when a consolidating dictatorship isn’t defeated soon enough," Mikiashvili warned.

There have also been no statements of support for the pro-democracy protests from the Georgian Dream government or condemnation of security force human rights violations against innocent people.

As the Georgian Dream government entrenched itself in power, it implemented harsh anti-demonstration laws to crack down on dissent and used disproportionate force and other brutal tactics to squash the unrest.

Human Rights Watch documented numerous laws that interfered with Georgians' rights to peacefully assemble, including steep fines for protest-related violations and abusive police tactics as thousands of people have been arbitrarily detained.

Since Georgian Dream’s election, 600 people have been arbitrarily detained, 300 protesters were tortured or subjected to inhumane treatment, 1,000 citizens received fines for political opinions, and 400 journalists have been arrested, beaten, and harassed, according to Transparency International Georgia, a non-governmental organization with the goal of combating corruption in Georgia.

The Group of Seven (G7) nations warned Iran on Wednesday that they are prepared to impose additional sanctions on the country if the regime continues with its violent crackdown on protests.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., joined by the European Union’s high representative, expressed "grave concern" over the reports of mass casualties, widespread injuries and alleged human rights abuses as a result of the spiraling unrest.

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The development comes as Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) announced the deaths of 2,403 protesters. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be higher. 

"We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are gravely concerned by the developments surrounding the ongoing protests in Iran," the statement said.

"We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025," it read.

The G7 also stated it was "deeply alarmed at reports of deaths and injuries" and condemned what it described as the "deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators."

IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP'S WARNING: REPORT

The protests, which began Dec. 28, came amid deepening economic distress and the collapse of the Iranian rial. They quickly spread nationwide and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.

The G7 ministers also urged Iranian authorities to show restraint and end the use of force against civilians, calling on Tehran to respect its international obligations and protect the rights to "freedom of expression, to seek, receive and impart information, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal."

While the joint statement did not list specific new sanctions, it made clear that additional action remains on the table, signaling unity among leading Western powers.

"Iran’s continued crackdown in violation of international human rights obligations could prompt further restrictive measures from the G7," the ministers said.