- The United States is planning to designate Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization.This is the first time US will formally labels another country’s military as a terrorist group.
- This would be the latest move by the US administration to isolate Iran.US had already withdrawn from the landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and has reimposed punishing sanctions including those targeting Iran’s oil, shipping and banking sectors.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders.
- The Revolutionary Guards have amassed strong power within Iran, including with significant economic interests.The Guards’ prized unit is the Quds Force which supports forces allied with Iran around the region including Syrian President and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
- The foreign terrorist designations by US will isolate terrorist groups and individuals and deny them access to the US financial system.It also assists the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments.It also prohibits US citizens from engaging in any transactions with the group.
- Further,Iran has also said that it will blacklist the US Troops if US labels Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terror organization.
