Iran blacklists US forces in West Asia
The US Central Command forces in West Asia were announced as 'terrorist group' by the Supreme National Security Council of Iran on Monday. A statement released by the council said the US government is considered as the 'sponsor of terrorism' by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, which has also announced the US Central Command and its affiliated forces in West Asia as a 'terrorist group'.
"Iran strongly condemns the illegal and dangerous move by the US to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organisation," the statement said.
This "baseless" US measure vis-a-vis the IRGC endangers peace and security in the region and the world, and "it is an ostensible violation of international law and the UN charter," it noted.
"While the US and its allies supported the extremist and terrorist groups in West Asia, the IRGC has been in the forefront of battle against terrorism and extremism in the region," it said.
Washington should be blamed for "all the dangerous consequences of its adventurous measure" by blacklisting the IRGC, the statement added.
Earlier on Monday, US President Donald Trump had said that the US designates the IRGC as a "foreign terrorist organisation," a move that will further worsen US-Iran relations and is expected to further complicate the Middle East situation.
"Today, I am formally announcing my Administration's plan to designate IRGC, including its Qods Force, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act," Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.
