Zarif vows tough response to IRGC blacklisting by US

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that his country will not let Washington go unpunished if it dares to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, and warned that Tehran will be prepared for a tough reciprocal response.

"During the session, the foreign minister condemned the US possible blacklisting of the IRGC as terrorist group and said such a measure entails numerous dangers," Rapporteur of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ali Najafi Khoshroudi quoted Zarif as saying in his Monday meeting with members of the Commission in Tehran.

"Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has not and is not after tension, it will reciprocate (the move) if the US makes such a decision," he quoted Zarif as saying.

He also said that the Foreign Ministry has taken action against a possible blacklisting of the IRGC by the US, and has sent a note of protest to the Swiss embassy in Tehran - that represents the US interests section in absence of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran.

IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned that the US Army would lose its current status of ease and serenity in West Asia if Washington designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

“If (the Americans) make such a stupid move, the US Army and American security forces stationed in West Asia will lose their current status of ease and serenity,” Major General Jafari warned Washington on Sunday.

“If they make a stupid move as such and endanger out national security, a reciprocal move will be placed on our agenda and then put into operation based on the policies of the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the general reiterated.

EA