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Why Iran Wants the Revolutionary Guards Removed from the U.S. Terror List
(Ha'aretz) Zvi Bar'el - More than 4,000 Iranian doctors applied for emigration permits over the past year. They were joined by thousands of others with professions - such as plumbers, carpenters and even barbers - who can no longer make a living given the huge spike in prices and the devaluation of the Iranian rial. Yet Iran's revenues from oil exports jumped 40% over the past 12 months. The budget of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps doubled compared to last year and currently stands at $22 billion. In comparison, only $8 billion was allocated to the regular army, even though the IRGC constitutes only 10% of the entire armed forces in Iran. The IRGC also controls civilian and military production lines, fuel terminals, and airports. According to Western estimates, it controls more than half of Iran's economy, directly employing 200,000 civilians and providing work for 1 million contractors and subcontractors. This is why Iran is so adamant that the IRGC be removed from the U.S. list of designated terror organizations.