The U.S. Designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

On Monday, April 8, U.S. President Donald Trump officially designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). According to U.S. officials, this designation will further isolate Iran and sends a message that the U.S. will not tolerate Iran's continued support for insurgent groups and other destabilizing actions in the Middle East. The Associated Press reports that this move could have wide-ranging consequences for U.S. forces and policies in the Middle East and beyond. In a statement issued on this occasion, Trump said, "Today, I am officially announcing my administration's plan to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including the Quds Force, as a terrorist organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act." He added that this unprecedented action by the State Department reflects the reality that Iran is not only a state sponsor of terrorism but that the IRGC actively participates in financing and promoting terrorism as a tool of governance. According to the U.S. President, "The IRGC is the primary tool of the Iranian regime to direct and execute an international campaign of terrorism." Trump emphasized that this is the first time the U.S. has placed another part of the Iranian government on the State Department's terrorist list, indicating that Iran's actions are fundamentally different from those of other countries. He stated, "This decision expands the focus and level of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime and clarifies the risks of doing business with or supporting the IRGC. If you do business with the IRGC, you are providing the capital for terrorism." The U.S. President stressed that this decision sends a clear message to Tehran that its support for terrorism will have serious consequences. "We will continue our financial pressure and increase the costs on the Iranian regime for its support of terrorist activities until it ceases its malign and rebellious behavior." Trump's decision comes on the eve of the anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the six-power agreement with Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program and the intensification of sanctions on Tehran in the oil, shipping, and banking sectors, which have had widespread negative effects on Iran's economy. Moments after Trump's announcement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that this is an important step in countering "the Iranian regime's terrorism" and that "we are helping the Iranian people regain their freedom." He noted that "the use of terrorism has become the centerpiece of the Iranian regime's foreign policy. Designating the IRGC, including the Quds Force, will help deprive the regime of its tools for this destructive policy. Maximum pressure will continue until the Iranian regime abandons its deadly ambitions." He also warned all banks and trading partners about the consequences of doing business with the IRGC following Washington's decision. Before the announcement, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, threatened that Iran would take retaliatory action and that "the U.S. military and security forces in the West Asia region will not enjoy the calm of today." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also stated that a potential U.S. action in this regard would have "consequences" for its forces in the region. These threats come as the IRGC commander had previously stated that if the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) were implemented, the U.S. would need to remove its military bases from within a 2,000-kilometer range of Iranian missiles. The U.S. Congress passed CAATSA in 2017, which served as the basis for the IRGC's inclusion in Executive Order 13224. Under CAATSA, the U.S. Treasury Department designated the IRGC as a global terrorist organization in October 2017 and imposed sanctions on this military force. Although the IRGC had already been subject to many U.S. sanctions, this action targeted the entirety of the IRGC at once. The U.S. Treasury had previously sanctioned the Quds Force of the IRGC in 2007 under Executive Order 13224, designating it as a terrorist organization. However, despite both the Quds Force and the IRGC being designated as terrorists by the Treasury, this is the first time the State Department has included the entire IRGC on its list. Organizations, individuals, or foreign groups can be designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. in two different ways: either on the State Department's list known as FTO or under Executive Order 13224, in which case they are referred to as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Although many commanders and entities associated with the IRGC have long been on the U.S. sanctions list, the recent decision by the U.S. to place the IRGC on the State Department's terrorist list could be considered a significant development. On the other hand, according to the Associated Press, while the IRGC has extensive control and influence over Iran's economy, the new U.S. sanctions against the IRGC may have limited effects. Nevertheless, this action could significantly complicate U.S. military and political activities in the region, especially in Iraq, where Shiite militias and Iraqi parties have close ties to the Iranian government. This will also limit the ability of American diplomats to engage with influential figures in Lebanon, as the IRGC has close ties with Hezbollah, which is part of the Lebanese government. Currently, about 5,200 U.S. forces are in Iraq, and 2,000 troops are in Syria. Additionally, the U.S. Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain, and the U.S. has a base in Qatar called Al Udeid, which, according to the Associated Press, will put all these forces and bases at risk. The U.S. State Department has designated over 60 groups and organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including al-Qaeda, the Islamic State (ISIS), Hezbollah, and some Palestinian factions. With the IRGC now on this list, the U.S. Congress has one week to review this decision. If there is no opposition, this decision will take effect.