Iran — the “leading state sponsor of terror” — tried to turn the tables Monday.

In response to Trump designating the country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “foreign terrorist organization,” their Supreme Security Council countered with the age-old “I know you are, but what am I?’

NICELY DONE.

As per The Hill:

Calling Trump’s decision “illegal and dangerous,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced that it will designate the U.S. Central Command as a terrorist group, according to Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency.

The council, headed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, added that Trump’s move poses a ‘major threat to regional and international peace and security and grossly violates the rules of international law.

So what’s the President’s reason for declaring the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group?

According to Trump:

“This action will significantly expand the scope and scale of our maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. If you are doing business with the IRGC, you will be bankrolling terrorism.”

Therefore, as explained by The Wall Street Journal:

The designation also allows the U.S. to subject IRGC officials and those who provide support to the organization to travel restrictions and lets U.S. prosecutors bring charges against those who provide ‘material support’ to the IRGC.

As pointed out by The Daily Wire, ahead of Trump’s announcement, IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafa had wagged his finger:

“If the Americans do such stupidity and put our national security at risk, the U.S. Army and security forces in the West Asia region will not enjoy today’s peace.”

The move wasn’t exactly a surprise. More from TDW:

The Journal noted that on Sunday, 255 out of 290 Iranian parliamentarians threatened, “We will answer any action taken against this force with a reciprocal action. So the leaders of America, who themselves are the creators and supporters of terrorists in the region, will regret this inappropriate and idiotic action.”

Ya gotta love Middle Eastern leaders regretting an “idiotic action.” Great verbiage — they should write for a political site.

The IRGC has a long history of terror connections; for the regime to call the U.S. terrorists seems absurd.

But haters gonna hate.

To be fair, Trump’s move was unprecedented, as indicated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a news briefing announcing the administration’s declaration:

“This is the first time that the United States has designated a part of another government as an FTO. We’re doing it because the Iranian regime’s use of terrorism as a tool of statecraft makes it fundamentally different from any other government.”

Stay tuned.

-Alex

See 3 more pieces from me: judge sentences non-human to death, Joe Rogan on outrage, and a turning of the stomach.

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