Reactions to US's blacklisting of IRGC

US president Donald Trump declaration of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as terrorist triggered worldwide reactions. In the 40-year life of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the US regime has spared no hostile action against people and revolution of Iran with the illusion of overthrowing the system.

Hence, Donald Trump's action is not a matter of surprise. But, at this juncture in time, it has specific reasons and goals. This is the first time in the world that the armed forces of a country are dubbed as terrorists. Trump's designation is against the international laws and rights; but since his coming to the White House, he has shown that he doesn't stick to any international law in a bid to push forward his racist and domineering goals.  

The US policy in West Asia is based on the axis of defending the aggressive policies of the fabricated regime in Tel Aviv and other regimes supporting terrorism such as the Saudi regime. The Zionist and Saudi leaders were the only ones who brazenly expressed their happiness for labeling the IRGC as terrorist. But the Front of Resistance, as the main enemy of the Zionist regime and its Takfiri partners-in-crime, immediately took position against Trump's foolish designation. Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of the Lebanese legendry anti-terrorist movement Hezbollah, while condemning Trump's act of adding the IRGC to the US blacklist, said, "Another audacity that we are witnessing today is calling the IRGC as terrorist, the force which is recognized an official military organization."  

Hezbollah Secretary General added: "The US does not support terrorism but it is terrorism itself and is at its head. We stand against this terrorism the most obvious example of which is the Hiroshima carnage." Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed that the US ignores the rights of the whole Islamic Ummah for the benefit of the Zionist regime and provides it with all facilities, whereas calls the defenders of the soil, sanctities and dignity as terrorists. Today the IRGC is stronger than ever and has a pivotal status in the region which has horrified Americans.

The Islamic resistance movement of Palestine Hamas, while condemning the US action against the IRGC, stated that the move shows that the US regime is taking steps towards the interests of the Zionists and their plans and it continues its blind bias in every regional affair. The statement read: "The American action against Quds and Golan and then the IRGC stems from a single point and has targeted resistance and campaign against occupation."

The Islamic Jihad movement of Palestine also announced that Trump's move has occurred in the wake of US hostile policies aimed at targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran. The US supports terrorism and nourishes wars and conflicts in the world, and Trump's policies are not hidden from any wise and just man because these policies threaten the security and stability of the world.

Donald Trump's decision against the IRGC was followed by reactions in the region, too. Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in a joint news conference with his Qatari counterpart in Ankara, said: We do not confirm unilateral decisions. Syrian foreign minister in response to this move condemned the US act calling it the violation of a country's territorial integrity. 

The release of news on Trump's putting of the IRGC in the list of terrorist groups caused a massive nationwide wave of solidarity with the IRGC even in flood-hit regions of Iran. The day after Trump's move, the MPs of the Islamic Consultative Assembly attended the parliament with the IRGC green uniforms to symbolize their consistency with the IRGC. Furthermore, Iran's Supreme National Security Council placed the US forces in West Asia on the list of terrorist groups. The decision was made upon the request of the Foreign Minister Zarif to President Rouhani, who also chairs the Supreme National Security Council. 

In a meeting with a group of the IRGC and their families, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei considered the reason for the Americans' hostility toward the IRGC as its being pioneer in defending the country and the revolution. The Leader pointed out, "The US and the ignorant enemies have resorted to whatever they could against the Islamic Republic for 40 years, but ain't do anything and today the hands of the Revolution and the Islamic system are open in the region and rather in the world. Contrary to the imagination of the enemies, today the dignity and power of the Islamic system doesn’t stem from the atomic bomb, because we have emphasized from day one that nuclear weapons are against our religious principles and we do not need them; therefore, today the Iranian nation's might and dignity in the eyes of the Islamic world is because of the persistence, sacrifice and insight of the people."

The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, in a speech, said: "You, who use terrorist groups against the nations of the region, today claim to fight terrorists? You are at the head of terrorism in the world and you did everything to support terrorists." According to the president's official site, he said, "Today, who is encouraging and equipping terrorists and who supports Deash? The US is not yet ready to fight Daesh and it provides refuge to Daesh leaders and supports terrorist groups. Which force shot down our passenger plane in the Persian Gulf, except you who have always interfered in the region and made efforts against the people of the region? After attacking the passenger aircraft and killing the defenseless people on board, you said you had taken the plane for an F-14 fighter and everyone knows how childish and mendacious this is. By this terrorist act you wanted to say that you don't recognize any redline, you killed women and children and your message was to protect terrorism in the region."

The IRGC was formed in the advent of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran to safeguard the achievements of the revolution and confront its enemies. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC is referred to as one of the armed forces for preserving and protecting the Islamic Revolution. During the eight years of Holy Defense, this popular institution, comprising tens of thousands of youths, played a major role in organizing popular forces to confront Saddam's war machine during the 1980s. Thousands of members of the IRGC have been martyred in fighting Saddam's invading army. In the recent years, the IRGC also played a major role in the fight against terrorist groups under various labels such as Daesh, Al-Nusra Ahrar al-Sham, etc. The Islamic Republic of Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted, "When Donald Trump insisted that Iran is destroying Daesh, who did he think was fighting? If the IRGC had not fought alongside the brave Iraqi and Syrian people, Daesh would have captured the capitals of the two Arab countries and sent a terrorist army to Europe." Zarif referred to Trump's words during presidential campaign when he said that Iran is fighting Daesh.

To be brief, we can say that Trump's action in blacklisting the IRGC is the result of his frustration in the region and Iran's taking the lead in fighting Takfiri and terrorist groups and unmasking the US as the mother of terrorism in the world.

FK/RM/ME