Iran Threatens Retaliatory Actions if IRGC is Listed as a Terrorist Organization by the U.S.

Simultaneously with the Iranian Foreign Minister's warning about the "consequences" of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) being placed on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, the commander of the IRGC also threatened that in this case, American forces in the region "will not enjoy peace." Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, threatened on Sunday, April 7, that if this military force is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, "the U.S. military and security forces in the West Asia region will not enjoy the peace they have today." He made this statement in response to reports published in recent days indicating a possible decision by Washington to place the IRGC on the list of terrorist groups. The U.S. decision in this regard is expected to be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. According to Sepah News, Jafari stated: "If the Americans commit such a folly and jeopardize our national security, we will operationalize and implement retaliatory measures in accordance with the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran." He did not provide further details, but it is likely that he specifically meant targeting American forces in Iraq. Jafari had previously stated in October 2017 that "if this news is true, we will consider the U.S. Army equivalent to ISIS." The IRGC has trained and armed some Iraqi Shiite militia groups through its foreign arm, the Quds Force. These extremist groups are among the main opponents of the presence of American soldiers in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister threatened that this possible U.S. action would have "consequences" for its forces in the region. Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Twitter account: "Those whose first priority is Netanyahu and who have long been trying to place the IRGC on the list of terrorist groups are rightly aware of the consequences of this action for American forces in the region. In fact, they are trying to drag America into a quagmire on behalf of him (Netanyahu)." Zarif added in his message, accompanied by images of U.S. President Donald Trump and his National Security Advisor John Bolton, that "Donald Trump should know better than to enter another disaster for America." On Sunday, 255 Iranian parliament members issued a statement declaring that if the U.S. takes this action, "we will take a reciprocal action with urgency to make the U.S. administration regret its unwarranted and foolish action." On Saturday, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Parliament, wrote on his Twitter account: "If the IRGC is placed on the U.S. list of terrorist groups, we will place U.S. military personnel alongside ISIS on the black list of terrorists." The United States currently has dozens of individuals and entities associated with the IRGC on its blacklist, but this organization has not yet been listed as a single entity on the U.S. State Department's list of terrorist organizations. The U.S. Treasury Department placed the Quds Force of the IRGC on its blacklist in 2007 for "supporting terrorism" and considered it the executive arm of the Islamic Republic's policies in "supporting terrorists and insurgent groups." In October 2017, the Treasury Department also placed the entire IRGC on the list of terrorist organizations, but the U.S. State Department has not yet done so. The possible decision on this matter is expected to be announced by the State Department on Tuesday or Wednesday. This action coincides with the anniversary of the Trump administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA, which led to the reinstatement of suspended sanctions against Iran in 2018. Although the IRGC has extensive control and influence over the Iranian economy, new U.S. sanctions against the IRGC could have limited effects. If the IRGC is placed on the U.S. terrorist list without exceptions or waivers, American military and diplomatic personnel may be prohibited from contacting Iraqi and Lebanese entities that are in contact with IRGC officials or individuals associated with them. However, according to the Associated Press, this action could significantly complicate U.S. military and political activities, especially in Iraq, where Shiite militias and Iraqi parties have close ties to the Iranian government. Regarding Lebanon, placing the IRGC on the terrorist list from Washington's perspective would limit American diplomats' ability to engage with influential figures in that country. The IRGC has close ties with Hezbollah, which is part of the Lebanese government. Hezbollah has already been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., and despite the presence of Hezbollah members in the Lebanese parliament and government, the U.S. has refrained from contacting them; on the other hand, the U.S. has continued its military assistance to the Lebanese Army and cooperates with it. If the IRGC is placed on the U.S. terrorist list without exceptions or waivers, American military and diplomatic personnel may be prohibited from contacting Iraqi and Lebanese entities that are in contact with IRGC officials or individuals associated with them. The Pentagon, the U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. intelligence agencies have previously expressed concerns about the effects of placing the IRGC on the terrorist list in a way that would prevent the U.S. from contacting officials and authorities in countries that are in contact with the IRGC. These concerns from U.S. intelligence and security agencies are the same reasons that have prevented previous administrations from placing the IRGC on the terrorist list. In addition to these complex issues, American commanders are concerned that designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization could lead the Islamic Republic of Iran to take retaliatory actions in the region. An unnamed U.S. official, who did not want to be identified and lacked the authority to publicly discuss this issue, told the Associated Press that concerned commanders in the U.S. would warn remaining American troops in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere about the potential for Iranian retaliatory movements.