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U.S. to Designate Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a Foreign Terror Group
(Wall Street Journal) Michael R. Gordon - The U.S. is preparing to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, following months of deliberation, officials said. The move is intended to help the U.S. crack down on businesses in Europe and elsewhere controlled by the IRGC. Jason Blazakis, who served until last year as director of the State Department's Counterterrorism Finance and Designations Office, said, "The designation of IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization is precedent setting. Never before has the FTO sanctions tool been directed at a state-body." The IRGC has a ground force of 100,000 and runs Tehran's ballistic missile programs. Companies overseen by the IRGC control 20% of the nation's economy, including important sectors like energy. "Lots of IRGC officials travel around the world," said Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. "This would make them the target of potential prosecution, either in friendly foreign jurisdictions or through extradition back in the U.S." The designation also would block any foreign representatives of the IRGC or the companies it controls from entering or staying in the U.S.