President Trump announced Monday that the United States will designate Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “foreign terrorist organization,” citing the regime’s history of “bankrolling terrorism.”
The unprecedented move, which was applauded by GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz, is part of the administration’s ongoing effort to pressure Iran into ceasing its suspected involvement in terror plots and support of proxy groups such as Hezbollah.
The action “makes crystal clear the risks of conducting business with, or providing support to, the IRGC,” Trump said in a statement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration “is simply recognizing a basic reality.” This will be the first time the United States has officially declared the military of a foreign government to be a terrorist group.
Iran has threatened to retaliate by labeling the US military a terrorist group. The nation’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted that Trump “should know better than to be conned into another US disaster.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump, adding, “Once again you are keeping the world safe from Iran aggression and terrorism.”
This designation would prevent Americans from doing business with the IRGC, according to the State Department website. Any IRGC assets under the control of US financial institutions will be frozen.
Congress has seven days to review the plan. If lawmakers choose not to block the designation, it would go into effect next Monday.