Israeli FM Leads Call For Designation Of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US, September 26, 2019.
Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US, September 26, 2019.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz called upon the world to toughen sanctions against Iran and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.

That plea comes in the aftermath of a large drone and missile attack by Iran against Israel last week, which Katz termed as needing a strong political and strategic response.

"I am leading a political attack against Iran. This morning, I sent letters to 32 countries and spoke with dozens of foreign ministers and leading figures in the world demanding that sanctions be imposed on the Iranian missile project and that the Revolutionary Guards be declared a terrorist organization, as a way to contain and weaken Iran. Iran must be stopped now – before it is too late," stated Katz.

Iran launched a mass drone and missile attack Saturday night in response to Israel’s air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month. It killed two senior commanders and other senior figures in the IRGC.

The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also under pressure to outlaw Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom.

Shadow Defense Secretary John Healey and former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith criticized the UK government's hesitancy in dealing with the IRGC amidst growing risks to UK interests.

Healey emphasized the IRGC's pivotal role in threatening not only Israel but also Arab countries and Western interests across the region through its support for violent military militias.

Since its establishment in 1979, the IRGC has grown into a dominant military, political, and economic force in Iran, with actions extending beyond its borders, including plots against individuals on British soil. Earlier this year, the UK sanctioned members of the IRGC's Unit 840 related to assassination attempts on British nationals.

Internationally, the IRGC's reach, and influence remain a concern, with its activities prompting security measures such as the temporary relocation of Iran International’s UK offices to Washington, following threats from IRGC agents.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and the United States have already designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization.