The European Union has designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation in response to Tehran's deadly crackdown on protesters in recent weeks, the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on January 29.

EU foreign ministers took the "decisive step" because "repression cannot go unanswered", Kallas said, adding that the move puts the IRGC - a major military, economic and political force in Iran - on the same level as jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Human rights groups estimate thousands of protesters were killed by security forces, including the IRGC, during weeks of unrest in December and January.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described it as "the most violent repression in Iran's modern history" and said there could be "no impunity for the crimes committed".

France had previously been seen as hesitant to add the IRGC to the EU's terror list over fears this could put an end to all diplomatic ties with Iran, but changed course on January 28, coming out strongly behind a push to blacklist the group, which was led by Italy.

"Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise," Kallas said.

Kallas said she expected diplomatic channels to remain open with Iran, even after adding the IRGC to its list of groups involved in acts of terror.

Organisations on the EU's terrorist list are subject to sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, with the aim of removing their support networks. The bloc also imposed restrictive measures on 15 individuals and six entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran, following the violent repression of peaceful protests, the Council of the European Union said on January 29.

The EU sanctioned Eskandar Momeni, Iran's interior minister and head of the National Security Council, and members of Iran's judicial system, including Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, the prosecutor general, and Iman Afshari, a presiding judge.

The listings also cover a number of IRGC commanders and high-ranking officers of the police and the Law Enforcement Force, all involved in the violent repression of peaceful protests and the arbitrary arrest of political activists and human rights defenders.

Entities listed include the Iranian Audio-Visual Media Regulatory Authority, Seraj Cyberspace Organisation, the Working Group for Determining Instances of Criminal Content and several software companies.

These entities were involved in censoring activities, trolling campaigns on social media, spreading disinformation online, or contributed to the widespread disruption of internet access by developing surveillance and repression tools.

Restrictive measures related to human rights violations in Iran now apply to 247 individuals and 50 entities.

They consist of an asset freeze, travel bans to the EU, and a prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to those listed. A ban on exports to Iran of equipment that might be used for internal repression, including equipment for monitoring telecommunications, is also in place.

The Council also imposed restrictive measures on four individuals and six entities under the EU dedicated sanctions regime, with a specific focus on the Iranian state-sponsored programme for the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles.

The listings include Khojir Missile Development and Production, a leading entity in Iran's ballistic missile programme, and Sahara Thunder, an Iranian import-export trading company which acts as a front company for the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics.

The Council also sanctioned other private companies supplying critical components to the IRGC or having links to entities involved in Iran's missile programme.

The individuals listed include businessmen, chief executives and shareholders of private companies involved in the development and production of Iran's ballistic missiles and engaged in Iran's missile or UAV programme.

The decision brings the total number of those sanctioned under this regime to 24 individuals and 26 entities.

The Council decided to extend the prohibition on the export, sale, transfer or supply from the EU to Iran to include further components and technologies used in the development and production of UAVs and missiles.