Parliament Speaker:

US Gov't, Army Symbolizing Terrorism

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani strongly condemned Washington's decision to designate Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, and said that the US administration and armed forces are symbols of terrorism.

News ID: 444256

Date: 11 April 2019 - 22:36

RNA - "The shameful behavior of the US regime these days and its decision to blacklist the IRGC in its terror list shows the depth of its resentment, foolishness and ignorance," Larijani said on Tuesday, addressing the Iranian Parliament's open session.

The Iranian parliament speaker said that the IRGC has struck the heaviest blow against terrorists in the region and all nations are aware of its efforts in the fight against terrorism.

"Today, the US government, not IRGC, must be held accountable for founding and supporting various terrorist groups," the Iranian parliament speaker added.

Larijani, meantime, pointed to US President Donald Trump's unacceptable behavior and addressing him said, "You wrongly assumed that you could hit Iran by withdrawing from the Nuclear Deal; you thought you could reduce Iran's oil sales to zero level over past year; you thought that the Islamic Revolution would not see its 40th anniversary and you saw how the nation protected their Revolution. You thought you could create insecurity in the country with the help of terrorists in the West and East of Iran, and you failed on all those accounts."

The Iranian parliament speaker also said Trump's decision shows the US incapability rather than its power, adding, "The entire Iranian nation are supporting the IRGC for providing the country with security."

The United States designated IRGC as a “terrorist organization” on Monday, accusing the elite force of financing and promoting terrorism in the region.

Following Trump's announcement, Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) labeled the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East as a terrorist entity in response to a similar move by Washington against the IRGC.

The SNSC on Monday declared the United States a “terrorist government”, and blacklisted the "CENTCOM and all its affiliates a terrorist group” to reciprocate Washington's controversial decision to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization.

In a statement issued on Monday evening, the SNSC - that is headed by President Hassan Rouhani - condemned Washington's move, calling it “an illegal and dangerous action” that poses a “major threat to regional and international peace and security and grossly violates the rules of international law".

The statement further condemned the US decision as “unlawful and unreasonable action” prompted by the Islamic Republic's regional influence and success in fighting against terrorists, and blamed CENTCOM for harming Iran’s national security as well as ruining the lives of “innocent Iranian and non-Iranian individuals” to promote the US “aggressive policies” in West Asia (the Middle-East).

"The Islamic Republic of Iran regards this baseless move as a major threat to regional and international peace and security and a blatant violation of the compelling rules of international law and the United Nations Charter," Iran's top security body reiterated.

The statement specifically mentioned that the US is “involved” in the killing of people in Yemen, as tens of thousands of people have been killed since the Saudi-led brutal bombing campaign began in March 2015.

The US and its allies “have always been advocates of extremist groups and terrorists in West Asian region”, the SNSC said, adding that Washington has to take responsibility for “the dangerous consequences of its adventures”.

US President Donald Trump released a statement earlier last evening to officially declare the decision. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also held a press conference on the matter, explaining that the Washington designation is set to take effect in one week.

According to Fars News Agancy, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed the decision by the US administration on labeling the IRGC a "foreign terrorist organization", seeing Trump's close ties with Netanyahu as a main contributor to the gravely wrong move made by the US president ahead of the Tuesday election in Israel.

"Another misguided election-eve gift to Netanyahu. Another dangerous US misadventure in the region," Zarif wrote on Twitter on Monday, referring to the IRGC designation as yet another move by the US president in aid of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Trump's recent decision to recognize Israel's annexation of the Syrian Golan Height.

The US' Golan Heights decision, which is in obvious contravention of international law, has been met with condemnation by the international community, with the UN and even Washington's Persian Gulf and European allies blasting the move.

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