IRGC blacklisting major mistake, to make life hard for US in Middle East

The decision to blacklist the Iranian military force, which is currently under the purview of the US State Department, would be reportedly announced as early as Monday, marking another major step in the White House's increasingly aggressive strategy towards Iran.

Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the IRGC’s chief commander, warned Sunday that the elite force will put reciprocal action against the US forces on its agenda if Washington proceeds to label it as a “terrorist organization.”

Dr. Mohammad Marandi, a Tehran-based university professor said the “foolish” move by the Trump administration would bring about serious consequences.

“I think it’s a major miscalculation on the part of the United States. They obviously don’t recognize what sort of dangers [they] buy ahead as a result of such a policy,” the analyst said.

“The very fact that in this very extremist administration in Washington there currently exists a division over making this move shows that it is such a foolish move that even among the most extreme in Washington there is not a consensus,” he added.

The opponents in Washington have warned the White House that designating the IRGC as a terror organization exposes US military and intelligence officials to similar actions by Iran and other governments across the world.

Major General Jafari has already warned that American army and security forces would not experience peace and calm in the Middle East anymore if Trump pushes ahead with his decision.

“In my opinion the Iranians will respond and they will definitely make life more difficult for the Americans in this region,” Marandi said.

The political analyst argued that the Trump White House was overlooking the fact that Washington and its allies no longer enjoyed the influence they once had in the region.

“The regime in Washington must recognize that the balance of power in this region has changed,” he added. “Their allies have failed in Syria, they failed in Lebanon, they failed in Iraq, they failed in Libya, and they failed in Yemen.”

“It would be best for Americans to become more reasonable and to show a bit of wisdom in determining their policies. Otherwise, things could get much worse for the Americans,” Marandi concluded.

The IRGC, which has roughly 125,000 military personnel and enjoys growing public support, is also actively cooperating in construction, infrastructure and relief projects.

The US has already blacklisted dozens of entities and individuals affiliated with the IRGC, but not the entire force.