Iran opposition groups would 'be wise to unite,' Waltz says

European Parliament's president welcomed the European Union’s official designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, saying the move denies safe haven to those responsible for crimes against Iranian protesters.

“That means no safe haven for those responsible for heinous crimes against Iranian protesters. It means their funds in Europe will be frozen. And it prohibits Europeans from making any funds available to them,” Roberta Metsola wrote on X.

“It is the right step and the right signal. It is not business as usual,” she added.

Belgium’s defense minister defended his participation in the Global Day of Action rally in Munich held in support of nationwide protests in Iran, after Iran summoned the Belgian ambassador in Tehran.

“The fact that our ambassador in Tehran was summoned is not the first time. It is the tried-and-tested tactic of a regime that lives on intimidation, blackmail, and hostage diplomacy,” Defense Minister Theo Francken said in a post on X.

“I spoke in Munich before 250,000 Persians in support of a peaceful and courageous people who have had to live for so many years under the theocratic yoke of the ayatollahs and mullahs,” he added, referring to the rally held following a call by exiled prince Reza Pahlavi.

Iran’s foreign ministry summoned Germany’s ambassador in Tehran after Munich hosted a large Iranian diaspora rally backing nationwide protests in Iran, held following a call by exiled prince Reza Pahlavi.

Germany’s envoy to Tehran, Axel Dittmann, was called in Wednesday over what the foreign ministry described as anti-Iran activities.

During the meeting Iran “condemned the anti-Iran actions and activities, particularly the hosting and support of violent and terrorist elements and groups,” a statement by the foreign ministry said.

Earlier in January, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Iranian authorities to stop the use of force against protestors adding that “labelling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that Tehran's ayatollahs will "face a response they can't even imagine" in case they attack Israel.

“We are prepared for any scenario,” Netanyahu said at an Israeli military cadets graduation ceremony.

“And one thing is certain — if the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will face a response they can’t even imagine.”

The Israeli prime minister said his country was “operating side by side with our major ally, the United States” to face the Islamic Republic's threat.

Iran is entering a phase of persistent unrest, driven by decentralized “minor triggers” and deepening economic and legitimacy pressures that repression alone may no longer contain, senior analysts said at Iran International's townhall in Washington DC.

Iran International's Bozorgmehr Sharafeddin and Mohammad Machine-chian, alongside political scientist Mohammad Ghaedi said the scale, persistence and decentralization of the unrest signal a structural rupture between state and society - one repression alone may no longer be able to contain.

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