Gustav Christensson
Introduction
The effect of sanctions on state behaviour is a complex topic that is frequently debated in international studies, and views vary even among proponents or opponents. Questions of efficacy, the consequences for citizens as opposed to the targeted governments or individuals, and morality and ethics are all topics that have been frequently debated.1 The various types of sanctions can target individuals if they are limited in scope, or actors or state organs if they are broader. Sanctions are ostensibly a means of achieving specific political goals. In the contemporary debate, however, sanctions are often treated as a goal in themselves rather than as a tool for changing behaviour. This policy brief analyses the legal criteria for and the potential consequences of the European Union (EU) designating a state organ a terrorist organisation, which is one type of sanction that the EU is able to implement. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Iran serves as the empirical case, based on the ongoing debate regarding a terrorist designation for that group. The consequences are examined in terms of the consequences for the IRGC as an organisation and the consequences for the EU. Some context is provided regarding the organisational structure of the IRGC and the Islamic Republic. The brief concludes with a succinct description of the risks and rewards of a terrorist designation and some policy recommendations. The recommendations address under what circumstances the EU should designate the IRGC a terrorist organisation and whether other options might be more effective.
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