France and Spain have signalled their support to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, injecting fresh impetus into a symbolic step that the European Union has long been loath to take.
The idea of blacklisting the IRGC came back to the table after the violent crackdown on Iranian protesters. But France and Spain, two large member states, voiced hesitation, casting serious doubts on whether the necessary unanimity could be reached.