US designates Iran’s IRGC a foreign terrorist organization
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – US officials announced Monday that Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) is to be designated a foreign terrorist organization, piling further US pressure the Islamic Republic.
Unveiling the new US policy in Washington on Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said designation comes as a “direct response to an outlaw regime and should surprise no one.”
The move is designed to deprive Iran of the power to “spread mystery and death” around the world, he said, accusing the IRGC of “actively engaging in terrorism” while it “macerates as a legitimate military organization.”
He also condemned the “con-artistry of the regime’s leaders,” branding them “racketeers, not revolutionaries.”
The move is simple a case of “recognizing a basic reality,” he added.
Minutes before Pompeo spoke, US President Donald Trump released a White House statement setting out the new policy.
“Today, I am formally announcing my Administration’s plan to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including its Qods Force, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Trump said.
“This unprecedented step, led by the Department of State, recognizes the reality that Iran is not only a State Sponsor of Terrorism, but that the IRGC actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft.”
“The IRGC is the Iranian government’s primary means of directing and implementing its global terrorist campaign,” Trump added.
The move takes US policy in the Middle East into uncharted waters, as the IRGC is effectively a national army.
“This designation will be the first time that the United States has ever named a part of another government as a FTO. It underscores the fact that Iran’s actions are fundamentally different from those of other governments,” Trump said.
“This action will significantly expand the scope and scale of our maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. It makes crystal clear the risks of conducting business with, or providing support to, the IRGC. If you are doing business with the IRGC, you will be bankrolling terrorism.”
“This action sends a clear message to Tehran that its support for terrorism has serious consequences. We will continue to increase financial pressure and raise the costs on the Iranian regime for its support of terrorist activity until it abandons its malign and outlaw behavior,” Trump added.
Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, arguing the agreement did not prevent Tehran from developing nuclear capabilities and did not stop it from interfering in regional conflicts.
Washington imposed a raft of sanctions targeting Iran’s economy, particularly its oil and banking sectors. The measures wiped 60 percent off the value of Iran’s currency, squeezing ordinary Iranians.
This is a developing story… updated 5.44 p.m.