US diplomats told to push allies to blacklist Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah

Rubio cites ‘elevated risk of attack from Iran and its partners and proxies’; IRGC is designated a terror group by US, UK, Canada and others

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday urged US diplomats abroad to push allies to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon-based Hezbollah as terrorist groups, citing the elevated risk of attack, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

The directive, dated March 16 and signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was sent to all US diplomatic and consular posts worldwide. It asks US diplomats to deliver the message to their counterparts “at the highest appropriate level” and no later than March 20, adding that the advocacy efforts to get these groups blacklisted should be coordinated with Israeli counterparts.

The Trump administration is attempting to rally reluctant allies – many of whom were not briefed ahead of the US-Israeli air war that started two weeks ago — to support its military operation.

In one sign of trouble for that effort, several US allies said on Monday they had no immediate plans to send ships to help the US unblock the Strait of Hormuz, rebuffing Trump’s plea to keep the vital oil shipping waterway open.

“With the elevated risk of attack from Iran and its partners and proxies, all governments must move expeditiously to diminish the capabilities of Iran and Iran-aligned terrorist groups from attacking our respective nations and citizens,” one of the talking points in the cable said.

The IRGC is an elite military force whose ostensible purpose is to protect Shi’ite Muslim clerical rule in Iran. It controls large parts of Iran’s economy, has played a leading role in suppressing domestic dissent, and engaged in terrorism, bombings and assassinations abroad.

The IRGC is already designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, the EU and some other countries; the Lebanon-based Shi’ite Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, UK, Germany, the Arab League, and some others.

The cable does not provide details on the elevated risk but cites examples of how Tehran has attacked its neighbors in the Middle East and urges joint action.

“We assess that the Iranian regime is more sensitive to collective action than unilateral action, and that joint pressure is more likely to compel behavior change by the regime than unilateral actions alone,” the cable said.

It adds that such designations would increase pressure on the Islamic Republic and limit its ability “to sponsor terror activities” around the world.

“President Trump is focused on securing peace in the Middle East,” a State Department spokesperson said. “The IRGC, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed proxies destabilize governments and undermine regional peace.”