In a press conference on Tuesday, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI U.S. Representative Office Deputy Director, provided new details on the IRGC’s training activities. The main NCRI coalition member, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), obtained this new data by the social network of pinpointing and providing further details on IRGC bases used for such purposes. “By means of its Revolutionary Guards Corps, the mullahs’ regime creates or at the very least expands and strengthens extremist forces, both Shia and Sunni,” he explained.

Two bills reintroduced recently in Congress designate the (IRGC) as terrorist organizations. To maintain peace and security across the Middle East, this is a necessary step for the U.S. administration.

The IRGC is a force of at least 120,000 armed men, and a one of the tactics used by IRGC generals is to repeatedly reinforce the threat they pose for the west and regional states. The appeasement policy regarding Ironed to senior IRGC commanders describing the U.S. as a “paper tiger”.

“The Trump administration should remain focused on the very dangerous measures and actions practiced by Iran through the IRGC. This long slate includes Iran’s involvement in Syria and the region, the regime’s nuclear program, ballistic missile aspirations and the horrific status of human rights in Iran,” writes Shahriar Kia, political analyst and member of the Iranian opposition, the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran. He adds, “Parallel to these alarming trends, IRGC intelligence currently holds in custody a number of American citizens specifically detained in Tehran prisons, normally held under vague charges.”

The IRGC devastates the Iranian people’s desire for freedom, through oppression. Repressive measures are routinely carried out against Iranian women and youth

by the IRGC’s paramilitary Basij. 

With the IRGC’s growing involvement in Iran’s economy, blacklisting this entity will dissuade Tehran from financing  support of unrest across the Middle East.

“To make it simple, in developing its Iran policy, the Trump White House should take into consideration the fact that the IRGC leadership’s words and actions are on par with that of those sitting on the throne in Tehran. In the meantime, the Iranian regime has to this day successfully deceived the West, with the support of the pro-appeasement camp, in depicting an image of IRGC-backed hardliners against so-called moderates/reformists. This weakened any possible response by the international community and emboldened the IRGC to in fact escalate its belligerent measures,” writes Kia in an article for The Hill. He says further, “And to those who claim the IRGC is of suicidal nature and will retaliate against U.S. administration action, they are completely out of the ballpark and most likely follow a specific lobbying effort. The IRGC fully safeguards the higher interests of the Iranian regime and a strong position adopted by Washington will most definitely result in a recalibration of their policies.”

A sign of this was seen when Tehran called off a second ballistic missile test scheduled for February 3.  The test involved the use of intercontinental ballistic missile components.

If Tehran is not challenged by the new U.S. administration, it will continue its efforts in the Middle East and beyond, which will threaten U.S. strategic interests. By designating the IRGC as an FTO those efforts may be thwarted, and America will stand with the Iranian people as they seek to establish freedom, democracy, and a non-nuclear Iran through peaceful regime change.