U.S. to designate elite Iranian force as terrorist organization

By Phil Stewart, Lesley Wroughton and Steve Holland

 

Members of the Iranian revolutionary guard march during a parade to commemorate the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88), in Tehran September 22, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer/Files

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expected to designate Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization, three U.S. officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labelled another country's military a terrorist group.

 

The decision, which critics warn could open U.S. military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad, is expected to be announced by the U.S. State Department, perhaps as early as Monday, the officials said. It has been rumoured for years.

 

The Pentagon declined comment and referred queries to the State Department. The State Department and White House also declined to comment.

 

The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a strident Iran hawk, has advocated for the change in U.S. policy as part of the Trump administration's tough posture toward Tehran.

 

The announcement would come ahead of the first anniversary of President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and to reimpose sanctions that had crippled Iran's economy.

 

The administration's decision to make the designation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

 

The United States has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC, but the organization as a whole is not.

 

In 2007, the U.S. Treasury designated the IRGC's Quds Force, its unit in charge of operations abroad, "for its support of terrorism," and has described it as Iran's "primary arm for executing its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups."

 

Iran has warned of a "crushing" response should the United States go ahead with the designation.

 

IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari warned in 2017 that if Trump went ahead with the move "then the Revolutionary Guards will consider the American army to be like Islamic State all around the world."

 

Such threats are particularly ominous for U.S. forces in places such as Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shi'ite militia are located in close proximity to U.S. troops.

 

Republican Senator Ben Sasse said the move would be an important step in America's maximum pressure campaign against Tehran. "A formal designation and its consequences may be new, but these IRGC butchers have been terrorists for a long time," Sasse said in a statement.

 

Former Under-Secretary of State and lead Iran negotiator, Wendy Sherman, said she worried about implications for U.S. forces.

 

"One might even suggest, since it's hard to see why this is in our interest, if the president isn't looking for a basis for a conflict," said Sherman, who is director of the Centre for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. "The IRGC is already fully sanctioned and this escalation absolutely endangers our troops in the region."

 

IRGC'S REACH

 

Set up after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect the Shi'ite clerical ruling system, the IRGC is Iran's most powerful security organization. It has control over large sectors of the Iranian economy and has a huge influence in its political system.

 

The IRGC is in charge of Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. Tehran has warned that it has missiles with a range of up to 2,000 km (1,242 miles), putting Israel and U.S. military bases in the region within reach.

 

The IRGC has an estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units and answers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

 

It is unclear what impact the U.S. designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization might have on America's activities in countries that have ties with Tehran, including in Iraq.

 

Baghdad has deep cultural and economic ties with Iran and Oman, where the United States recently clinched a strategic ports deal.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-06

Me stupid! I though they used to fight against ISIS and other Islamic terrorists!

the name calling is going to backfire on not just trump

but all branches of US military, and US itself.

Sen. Marco Rubio   has called for the US to do the same for Venezuela.  To officially designate the Maduro government and military as ‘terrorist organizations.’

 

The Trump governments foreign policy has become totally deranged and out of control.

When was the last time the Iranians attacked a Western target - I mean like a mass shooting, or a bombing, or a hostage situation - in the West. I, personally, don't feel threatened by the Iranians at all. But some people feel very threatened and I'm guessing a third force is at at work here.

1 hour ago, nausea said:

When was the last time the Iranians attacked a Western target - I mean like a mass shooting, or a bombing, or a hostage situation - in the West. I, personally, don't feel threatened by the Iranians at all. But some people feel very threatened and I'm guessing a third force is at at work here.

I have learned so much from stuyding the history of dormant forces that attacked suddenly without warning. It certainly is educational.

4 hours ago, candide said:

Me stupid! I though they used to fight against ISIS and other Islamic terrorists!

Iranian Revolutionary Guards General Hossein Hamedani was killed near Aleppo while advising the Syrian army on their battle against Islamic State fighters. 

This is going to be problematic for Ivanka Trump who fronted her father’s deal to build Trump Tower Baku.

 

 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/donald-trumps-worst-deal

38 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Iranian Revolutionary Guards General Hossein Hamedani was killed near Aleppo while advising the Syrian army on their battle against Islamic State fighters. 

Just to save their dear friend, Assad. 

No favor to humanity or other nations. 

7 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Just to save their dear friend, Assad. 

No favor to humanity or other nations. 

Agreed, would have thought that Mossad deserves a terrorist ranking also given their history of abductions and murder from other countries.

Hypocritically calling another army "terrorists" who a short while ago were allies helping to terminate the barbaric ISIS.

This from a US admin that won't allow ICC judges to investigate possible war crimes against some US soldiers and the army of the tail that wags the US dog.

 

Tearing up nuclear treaties, then additional sanctions to drive the Iranian economy into the ground apparently not enough to start a war. Trump is simply trying to antagonize Iran needlessly even more with this name calling until one day they react, and that will be his pretext to involve US forces to begin yet another unnecessary Middle East War. Very useful deflection from his domestic woes and a handy re-election vote winner.

 

I hope his bone spurs have healed sufficiently so that the commander in chief can lead his troops into battle.

 

Madness.

57 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Just to save their dear friend, Assad. 

No favor to humanity or other nations. 

You are right, no favor, only self interest. Same as the USA, Turkey, etc...

But, you know, the enemy of my enemy.....

Edited April 6, 20197 yr by candide

All OK as long as the US doesn't mind its military personnel designated in the same way. 

The pot calling the kettle black??

 

However I agree with Dexterm that Trump is just trying to deflect attention from his mounting problems at home.

2 hours ago, The Theory said:

Just to save their dear friend, Assad. 

No favor to humanity or other nations. 

But that doesn't make it a terrorist organization. But if you think that motivation does count, that means the USA's military, among many others, ought to be put on that list too.

Maybe just maybe something to do re the recent statement about the Golan Heights???

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We shall call the present us policies and force involved terrorist as venezuela, siria, isis, iraq, vietnam, nicaragua, chile and the list its long,  
US hypocrisy ...

2 hours ago, bristolboy said:

But that doesn't make it a terrorist organization. But if you think that motivation does count, that means the USA's military, among many others, ought to be put on that list too.

If not all ( of US military) , then certainly the CIA and their military support group.

dear US, this will certainly be useful the next time a couple of US soldiers are captured by Iran.

The US has turned out to be the largest, most aggressive terrorist group on the planet and people are catching on to it. Just cuz the US says so doesn't make it true.

21 hours ago, brokenbone said:

the name calling is going to backfire on not just trump

but all branches of US military, and US itself.

The part of backfire already happened years ago, nobody believes the US since Iraq.
They failed hard trying to illegally take over Syria and now all focus is on Iran again, too predictable.

Edited April 7, 20197 yr by tabarin

 Another triumph for Trump's anti Iranian policy:

 

Exclusive: Egypt withdraws from U.S.-led anti-Iran security initiative - sources

 

"Egypt has pulled out of the U.S. effort to forge an “Arab NATO” with key Arab allies, according to four sources familiar with the decision, in a blow to the Trump administration’s strategy to contain Iranian power.

Egypt conveyed its decision to the United States and other participants in the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance, or MESA, ahead of a meeting held Sunday in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, one source said...

Egypt withdrew because it doubted the seriousness of the initiative, had yet to see a formal blueprint laying it out, and because of the danger that the plan would increase tensions with Iran, said an Arab source who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mesa-egypt-exclusive/exclusive-egypt-withdraws-from-u-s-led-anti-iran-security-initiative-sources-idUSKCN1RM2WU

1 hour ago, bristolboy said:

 Another triumph for Trump's anti Iranian policy:

 

Exclusive: Egypt withdraws from U.S.-led anti-Iran security initiative - sources

 

"Egypt has pulled out of the U.S. effort to forge an “Arab NATO” with key Arab allies, according to four sources familiar with the decision, in a blow to the Trump administration’s strategy to contain Iranian power.

Egypt conveyed its decision to the United States and other participants in the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance, or MESA, ahead of a meeting held Sunday in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, one source said...

Egypt withdrew because it doubted the seriousness of the initiative, had yet to see a formal blueprint laying it out, and because of the danger that the plan would increase tensions with Iran, said an Arab source who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mesa-egypt-exclusive/exclusive-egypt-withdraws-from-u-s-led-anti-iran-security-initiative-sources-idUSKCN1RM2WU

À simplified explanation for Trumpist members (in case they would like to understand):

- Iran government is Shia

- the current Egyptian government has problems with Sunni terrorists

- Iran fights Sunni terrorists

- the Egyptian government has no interest in fighting Iran.