The European Union (EU) added Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its terrorist list on Thursday, following a deadly crackdown on protesters in recent weeks. The move aligns the EU with the United States and Canada, which had already designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, according to the New York Times.
The decision came after weeks of unrest in Iran during December and January, during which human rights groups estimate that thousands of protesters were killed by security forces, including the IRGC, according to BBC World. "Repression cannot go unanswered," said Kaja Kallas, the bloc's top diplomat, according to BBC World. She added that the move would place the IRGC on the same level as jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
The EU will also impose sanctions, including asset freezes, according to the New York Times. While France, Italy, and Spain had previously worried that blacklisting the IRGC could cut off diplomatic channels to Tehran, that calculus has shifted since the recent violence, according to the New York Times.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the EU decision as a "stunt" and a "major strategic mistake," according to BBC World. The IRGC is a major military, economic, and political force in Iran, according to BBC World.
In other news, a Democratic California lawmaker is targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents with a bill that would disqualify current ICE agents under the Trump administration from working at any state or local police agency within California, according to Fox News. Assembly Bill 1627 would also prohibit current ICE agents from holding roles in the state, according to Fox News. The lawmaker cited "immorality" concerns as the reason for the bill, according to Fox News.
Meanwhile, "Breaking Bad" star Giancarlo Esposito called for a "revolution" against immigration enforcement following another fatal shooting in Minneapolis involving Border Patrol agents, according to Fox News. "This is a time for a revolution, and they dont even know thats what theyre starting," the actor told Variety in an interview, according to Fox News. "We have to stand up to it. They cant take us all down."
In other news, former President Trump addressed reports that he appeared to be fighting sleep during a cabinet meeting last month, according to the New York Times. Mr. Trump maintained that he had not actually fallen asleep at December's meeting, but that he had closed his eyes because "I wanted to get the hell out of there," according to the New York Times. He added, "I don’t sleep much, let me tell you," according to the New York Times. Mr. Trump acknowledged to a reporter for New York magazine that he had closed his eyes, saying that the meeting had been "boring as hell," according to the New York Times.
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