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Does Designation of the Revolutionary Guards Make a Difference?
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Matthew Levitt - The decision by the State Department to designate the Revolutionary Guards as a Foreign Terrorist Organization is an action heavy on messaging with few practical advantages. The Treasury Department had already designated the IRGC as a terrorist group (as well as for proliferation and human rights violations), and Iran has long been on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. These already subjected the IRGC to powerful sanctions authorities. The listing adds two substantive tools: first, additional immigration restrictions which could be applied to anyone that engages with IRGC entities. And second, criminal liability for knowingly providing material support to the group. These new tools add yet another layer of sanctions threat, which could sharpen the costs of doing business with Iran. This could prove particularly difficult for Iraq, which is dependent on Iranian energy and whose officials could now be exposed to sanctions and criminal liability. The writer is director of the Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.