US officials said earlier this year that President Donald Trump's administration was considering a proposal that could lead to potentially categorizing the powerful Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. "Counting the Revolutionary Guards the same as terrorist groups and applying similar sanctions to the Revolutionary Guards is a big risk for America and its bases and forces deployed in the region," said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri, according to Sepah News, an official news site of the Guards. The Revolutionary Guards are the most powerful security force in Iran, overseeing vast economic holdings worth billions of dollars and wielding huge influence in its political system. Baqeri said on Monday that Iran’s missile program was defensive and would never be up for negotiation, according to Sepah News. The Revolutionary Guards are fighting in Syria against militant groups which oppose President Bashar al-Assad.

Source: bd News24 July 17, 2017 13:30 UTC