Tehran, Iran, October 9
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
In response to the US move to designate the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, the Iranian foreign ministry has warned Washington that Tehran’s response would be “crushing”.
The statement came a day after IRGC chief Mohammad Ali Jafari said if the US goes on with its decision, it would not be immune to Iranian missiles.
“I hope the US will not make that grave and strategic mistake, but if they do, our response will be harsh and decisive. And the US needs to accept the consequences,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told a weekly press conference in Tehran October 9.
The IRGC chief warned on Sunday that if Donald Trump’s administration designates the Guards as a terrorist organization then the IRGC would consider “treating the US troops like Islamic State terrorists.”
The warning came after the White House said on Friday that President Donald Trump would announce the new US responses to Iran’s missile tests, what Washington calls Tehran’s support for “terrorism” as part of his new Iran strategy. The strategy falls within the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act which considers new sanctions against Iran.
Jafari said if the US enforces the new law, Iran would consider the move as an abrogation of the 2015 nuclear deal and would increase its deterrence, including its missile capability.
“As we’ve announced in the past, if the US new law for sanctions is enforced, this country will have to move their regional bases outside the 2,000 km range of Iran’s missiles,” the general stated.
“We will use any silly behavior by the Trump administration as an opportunity to advance our defensive and missile programs,” Jafari said during a meeting of the IRGC strategic council.