Iran: Demonstrations against US blacklisting of Revolutionary Guards

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019 [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranians hold anti-US placards as they take part in a protest against the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization” in Tehran, Iran on 12 April 2019 [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency]

Hundreds of Iranians yesterday marched through the capital Tehran to protest against the US designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation.

The demonstrators raised placards reading “I am a Guard too” and “Down to the USA,” in addition to a puppet of US President Donald Trump, Anadolu reported. The demonstrators also chanted pro-Revolutionary Guard and anti-Trump slogans and burnt American flags.

On Monday, the US branded the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp – one of the offshoots of the Iranian army – a terrorist organisation. Responding to this measure, the Supreme Council of Iranian National Security blacklisted the US Central Command CENTCOM.

The Revolutionary Guards Corp – which was established after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 to protect the religious institution in Iran – is considered the strongest security formation in the country. It controls large parts of the Iranian economy and impacts the political system.

Tension between the US and Iran escalated after the US unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal reached with Iran in 2015.

READ: Iran’s Khamenei calls US blacklisting of Guards a ‘vicious move’