04.07.22

Chairman of Joint Chiefs Opposes Delisting Iran’s IRGC as Terrorist Organization

Delisting Reportedly Being Considered by Biden Administration in Pursuit of New Iran Nuclear Deal

WASHINGTON—The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, appeared today before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and said, in his personal opinion, he does not support delisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. Milley was responding to a question posed by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the committee, who asked whether the Biden administration should concede the delisting in order to attain a new nuclear agreement with Iran. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also testified before the committee.

“There are press reports that the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) under consideration—one of the big red line debates right now is for us to agree—the United States—to delist the IRGC as an organization that sponsors terrorism,” said Sen. Sullivan. “The Iranians want it. You gentlemen, unfortunately, have led troops, some of our finest—over 2,000 wounded and killed by the Quds Force (and the) IRGC with the weapons they supplied. Iraqi Shia militias. I'm sure hundreds under your command were killed or wounded. The IRGC has recently been responsible for missile attacks in coordination with the Houthis against U.A.E civilians, our long-standing ally in the region. Is there any universe in which the two of you could say you support the delisting of this terrorist organization with blood of American soldiers on its hands—recently—and delist them for state-sponsored terrorism because Iran wants it? We should tell Iran to go pound sand. There's no way in hell that they should be delisted. What do you two, in your personal opinion, given how much experience you have with Iran in the Middle East, believe on that question?

“In my personal opinion, I believe the IRGC-Quds Force to be a terrorist organization and I do not support them being delisted from the foreign terrorist organization [list],” Gen. Milley replied. 

“Thank you for your honesty,” Sen. Sullivan said.

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