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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 8 april 2019

U.S. to designate Iran Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group

Associated Press remaining in Iraq, Syria and
WASHINGTON (AP) — The elsewhere of that possibil-
Trump administration is pre- ity, according to a third U.S.
paring to designate Iran's official. This official was not
Revolutionary Guard a "for- authorized to discuss the
eign terrorist organization," matter publicly and spoke
an unprecedented move on condition of anonymity.
against a national armed Aside from Iraq, where
force that could have some 5,200 American
widespread implications for troops are stationed, and
U.S. personnel and policy in Syria, where some U.S. 2,000
the Middle East and else- troops remain, the U.S. 5th
where. Fleet, which operates in the
Officials informed of the Persian Gulf from its base in
step said an announce- Bahrain, and the Al Udeid
ment was expected Mon- Air Base in Qatar, are po-
day, after a monthslong es- tentially at risk.
calation in the administra- A similar warning is also
tion's rhetoric against Iran, expected from the State
its support for militia groups Department of possible
in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iranian retaliation against
Yemen, as well as anti-Isra- American interests, includ-
el groups in the region and ing embassies and consul-
beyond. ates, and anti-American
It would be the first such protests, the first two U.S.
designation by any Ameri- officials said. Similar alerts
can administration of an In this Sept. 21, 2016 file photo, Iran's Revolutionary Guard troops march in a military parade were issued at the start of
marking the 36th anniversary of Iraq's 1980 invasion of Iran, in front of the shrine of late revolution-
entire foreign government ary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran. the Iraq War in 2003 and
entity, although portions of Associated Press more recently when the
the Guard, notably its elite Trump administration an-
Quds Force, have been the Guard may have in U.S. Lebanese government. impact of the designation nounced it would recog-
targeted previously by the jurisdictions and a ban on Hezbollah is already des- if the move does not allow nize Jerusalem as Israel's
United States. Americans doing business ignated a foreign terror- contact with foreign of- capital.
Two U.S. officials and a with it or providing material ist organization by the U.S. ficials who may have met Despite the risks, Iran hard-
congressional aide con- support for its activities. Its presence in Lebanon's with or communicated with liners on Capitol Hill, such
firmed the planned move. Although the Guard has parliament and executive Guard personnel. Those as Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.,
They were not authorized broad control and influ- branch have forced the concerns have in part dis- and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and
to discuss the matter pub- ence over the Iranian U.S. to avoid any contact suaded previous admin- elsewhere have long advo-
licly and spoke on condi- economy, such penalties with Hezbollah members istrations from taking the cated for the designation.
tion of anonymity. Iran's from the U.S. may have even as the U.S. continues step, which has been con- They say it will send an im-
foreign minister, Moham- limited impact. The des- to provide assistance to sidered for more than a de- portant message to Iran as
mad Javad Zarif, seemed ignation, however, could and works with the Leba- cade. well as deal it a further blow
to anticipate the desig- significantly complicate nese army. It was not immediately after the Trump pulled out
nation, saying in a tweet U.S. military and diplomatic Without exclusions or waiv- clear whether the desig- of the 2015 nuclear deal
Sunday aimed at President work, notably in Iraq, where ers to the designation, nation would include such and reimposed economic
Donald Trump that Trump many Shiite militias and U.S. troops and diplomats carve-outs. sanctions.
"should know better than to Iraqi political parties have could be barred from con- In addition to those com- Secretary of State Mike
be conned into another US close ties to the Guard. tact with Iraqi or Lebanese plications, American com- Pompeo and national se-
disaster." In Lebanon, the designa- authorities who interact manders are concerned curity adviser John Bolton
The designation, planning tion could further restrict with Guard officials or sur- that the designation may have taken up the call and
for which was first reported with whom U.S. officials rogates. prompt Iran to retaliate have in recent months spo-
by the Wall Street Journal, can interact. The Guard The Pentagon and U.S. in- against U.S. forces in the re- ken stridently about Iran
comes with sanctions, in- has close ties to Hezbol- telligence agencies have gion, and those command- and its "malign activities" in
cluding freezes on assets lah, which is part of the raised concerns about the ers plan to warn U.S. troops the region.q