Iran Regards US Forces in Region as Terrorists: Deputy FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi condemned the US move to blacklist the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and said in a reciprocal move, Tehran designates US forces in the Middle East as terrorists.
Speaking to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Monday night, Araqchi said the Americans have crossed “one of the most fundamental red lines” of the Islamic Republic by labeling the IRGC as a “terrorist group” .
“The recent decision by the US can have many consequences and from now on, the Americans in their bases in the region are not soldiers any longer but in our view, these bases will be known as terrorist bases and forces stationed there are regarded as terrorists,” he said.
“From now on, the way these forces are treated will (match the US move against IRGC), and we will have new conditions,” he warned.
The remarks came after the Trump administration on Monday labeled IRGC as a “terrorist group” at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday to elect the 120 members of the 21st Knesset (parliament). On the eve of the vote, Netanyahu took credit for Trump’s decision to blacklist IRGC.
“Thank you, my dear friend, President Donald Trump,” Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew, “for answering another one of my important requests.”
On Monday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in turn designated US forces in West Asia, known as the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), as a terrorist organization.