Iranian MPs wearing the outfits of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) during a parliamentary session at the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Tehran on April 9 2019. AFP
WASHINGTON: The U.S. terrorism label for Iran's Revolutionary Guard has taken effect amid a battle between the Trump administration and some in Congress over waivers on other sanctions.
The Guard's formal designation as a "foreign terrorist organization" kicked in Monday with a notice published in the Federal Register. The unprecedented designation for a foreign government agency adds a layer of sanctions to the elite military unit and makes it a crime for anyone in U.S. jurisdictions to provide it with "material support."
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had announced the move last week, opening a one-week consultation period with Congress. Lawmakers were broadly supportive of it but congressional Iran hawks are now expressing concern that the administration may extend waivers on oil and nuclear sanctions.
