Brussels: The European Council, a body defining the overall political direction of the European Union, has officially added the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to its so-called list of terrorist organizations, as part of the bloc's hostile anti-Iran policies.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, in a statement on Thursday, the Council announced that it formally decided to add the IRGC to the EU terrorist list, following the political agreement reached by the Foreign Affairs Council on January 29. "The IRGC will also be subject to restrictive measures under the EU counterterrorism sanctions regime," read the statement posted on the Council's website, adding that these measures include the freezing of funds and other financial assets or economic resources in EU member states, and the prohibition for its funding.

It further said that as per the latest decision, there are now 13 persons and 23 groups and entities subject to the restrictive measures. The 27-member EU classified the IRGC as a terrorist organization last month, in a move Iran and several countries described as violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

Iran has repeatedly warned against Europe's anti-Iranian moves, especially blacklisting a legitimate military institution such as the IRGC. Last month, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned ambassadors of several EU countries in Tehran to lodge official complaints over the bloc's anti-IRGC measure.