A senior Iranian lawmaker has threatened the U.S. Armed Forces with reciprocal measures if Washington designates the Islamic Revolution Guards as a terrorist organization.
Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh was responding to a Reuters report saying the U.S. will soon announce its designation of the Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
"The United States is expected to designate Iran’s elite Revolution Guards Corps, a foreign terrorist organization, three U.S. officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labeled another country’s military a terrorist group," Reuters reported on April 5.
According to Reuters, "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 (April 8), the officials said.
While the Islamic Republic's government and military have not yet responded to the report, Falahatpisheh vowed that Tehran will retaliate by listing American armed forces as terrorists if the U.S. designates IRGC as a terrorist group.
In a Saturday tweet, Falahatpisheh warned, “If the IRGC is placed on America’s list of terrorist groups, we will put that country’s military on the terror blacklist alongside ISIS.”
Earlier in October 2017, when there were rumors about Washington's decision to add IRGC to the list of terrorist organizations, the Islamic Republic President Hassan Rouhani warned President Donald Trump's administration that listing IRGC as a terrorist group would be a "grave mistake."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had also earlier lambasted the U.S. for its hostile policies against the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and warned of Tehran's robust response if Washington labeled the IRGC as a terrorist group.
Nevertheless, according to Reuters, Washington has finally decided to designate IRGC as a terrorist group.
If carried out, Washington's decision will mark the first time that a country brands another country's military as a terrorist group.
The United States has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC, but the organization as a whole is not.
