IRGC Designated a Terrorist Group: New York Times

As part of the Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign, the US president announced that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful branch of the Iranian military, would be designated as a terrorist organization. This classification would impose sanctions on IRGC members as well as individuals and organizations connected to the group. The decision, opposed by Trump’s national security advisors, triggered retaliation by the Iranian government, which in turn designated US Central Command as a terrorist organization. Trump issued the announcement just before Israel’s national election to boost Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a close race. Former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama both considered the possibility of designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization, and both administrations backed down after taking into account of the potential blowback toward US military interests. In addition, a legal question looms behind Trump’s decision: Would the US sanction intelligence agencies from countries like Israel and Pakistan that also use violence? US State Department officials so far have not provided a clear answer. – YaleGlobal