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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7061991.stm
US imposes new sanctions on Iran
The US government has designated an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps a "supporter of terrorism" as part of a new round of sanctions. The Guards have been labelled a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction", a reference to ballistic missiles they are allegedly developing.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made the announcement alongside Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
The classification will allow the US to target the powerful force's finances.
The US has repeatedly accused Iran of destabilising Iraq and Afghanistan, blaming the Revolutionary Guards for supplying and training insurgents.
'Proliferator'
Speaking at news conference in Washington, Ms Rice said the US would designate the Revolutionary Guards a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction" on account of the ballistic missile programme in which it is allegedly involved.
REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS
Officially the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), or Pasdaran
Formed after 1979 revolution
Loyal to clerics and counter to regular military
Estimated 125,000 troops
Includes ground forces, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces
Also has political influence: dozens of ex-guard sit as MPs
Iran President Ahmadinejad is a former member
Source: Globalsecurity.org
Under Executive Order 13382, the US authorities will be able to freeze the assets of, and prohibit any US citizen or organisation from doing business with the Guards.
Iran's ministry of defence, which controls the country's defence industry, three Iranian banks and several companies owned by the Guards, will also face sanctions.
The Guards' Quds Force will be designated separately as a "supporter of terrorism" under Executive Order 13224, which authorises the US to identify individuals, businesses, charities and extremist groups engaged in terrorism.
The elite special operations wing of Revolutionary Guards has been accused by US officials of supplying powerful roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades to Shia militants in Iraq.
Thought to have 15,000 troops, it is responsible for conducting covert missions overseas and for forging relationships with other Shia groups.
"The Quds Force controls the policy for Iraq," the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, said earlier this month. "There should be no confusion about that."
Dominant force
When reports of the designations were first reported in August, Iranian officials condemned them as "worthless resolutions" issued "under baseless pretexts... to damage this holy institution".
The Revolutionary Guards force was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system, and to provide a counterweight to the regular armed forces.
It has since become the dominant military force in Iran, with past members including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a number of his cabinet ministers.
It is estimated to have 125,000 active members, and boasts its own ground forces, navy and air force, and controls Iran's strategic weapons.
It also controls the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force and the powerful bonyads, or charitable foundations, which run a considerable part of the Iranian economy.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7061991.stm
Published: 2007/10/25 13:22:31 GMT
© BBC MMVII
US imposes new sanctions on Iran
The US government has designated an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps a "supporter of terrorism" as part of a new round of sanctions. The Guards have been labelled a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction", a reference to ballistic missiles they are allegedly developing.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made the announcement alongside Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
The classification will allow the US to target the powerful force's finances.
The US has repeatedly accused Iran of destabilising Iraq and Afghanistan, blaming the Revolutionary Guards for supplying and training insurgents.
'Proliferator'
Speaking at news conference in Washington, Ms Rice said the US would designate the Revolutionary Guards a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction" on account of the ballistic missile programme in which it is allegedly involved.
REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS
Officially the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), or Pasdaran
Formed after 1979 revolution
Loyal to clerics and counter to regular military
Estimated 125,000 troops
Includes ground forces, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces
Also has political influence: dozens of ex-guard sit as MPs
Iran President Ahmadinejad is a former member
Source: Globalsecurity.org
Under Executive Order 13382, the US authorities will be able to freeze the assets of, and prohibit any US citizen or organisation from doing business with the Guards.
Iran's ministry of defence, which controls the country's defence industry, three Iranian banks and several companies owned by the Guards, will also face sanctions.
The Guards' Quds Force will be designated separately as a "supporter of terrorism" under Executive Order 13224, which authorises the US to identify individuals, businesses, charities and extremist groups engaged in terrorism.
The elite special operations wing of Revolutionary Guards has been accused by US officials of supplying powerful roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades to Shia militants in Iraq.
Thought to have 15,000 troops, it is responsible for conducting covert missions overseas and for forging relationships with other Shia groups.
"The Quds Force controls the policy for Iraq," the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, said earlier this month. "There should be no confusion about that."
Dominant force
When reports of the designations were first reported in August, Iranian officials condemned them as "worthless resolutions" issued "under baseless pretexts... to damage this holy institution".
The Revolutionary Guards force was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system, and to provide a counterweight to the regular armed forces.
It has since become the dominant military force in Iran, with past members including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a number of his cabinet ministers.
It is estimated to have 125,000 active members, and boasts its own ground forces, navy and air force, and controls Iran's strategic weapons.
It also controls the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force and the powerful bonyads, or charitable foundations, which run a considerable part of the Iranian economy.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7061991.stm
Published: 2007/10/25 13:22:31 GMT
© BBC MMVII
