JEDDAH:听Iran on Tuesday designated the US military鈥檚 Central Command a terrorist organization, accused Washington of sponsoring terrorism and repeated its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz.
It was Tehran鈥檚 response to US blacklisting this month of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and President Donald Trump鈥檚 move on Monday to reduce Iran鈥檚 oil exports to zero, costing the country $15 billion a year in lost revenue.
The reaction is a sign of panic in the Iranian regime, the Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist Dr. Majid Rafizadeh told Arab News.
鈥淭his highlights the fact that the Iranian leaders are extremely concerned about the US sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey have been feeling significant pressure from loss of revenues, a decline in oil exports, isolation of the IRGC, and dissatisfaction of the Iranian public with the regime.鈥
海角直播 on Tuesday welcomed the US announcement that eight countries鈥 exemptions from economic sanctions against buyers of Iranian oil would end on May 2.
鈥満＝侵辈 fully supports this step taken by the United States as it is necessary to force the Iranian regime to end its policy of destabilizing the region and its support and sponsorship of terrorism around the world,鈥 Foreign Minister Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz Al-Assaf said.
The Iranian regime used its oil income to finance dangerous policies without any consideration for international law, the minister said, and international pressure must continue until it stopped interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries.
Iran鈥檚 Parliament passed legislation on Tuesday requiring the government 鈥渢o take firm and retaliatory measures against terrorist activities of American forces that endangers Iran鈥檚 interests.鈥
鈥淭he government should use legal, political and diplomatic measures in response to the American actions,鈥 it said.
The new chief commander of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, appointed after the US blacklisting, has warned that Iran could use its cruise and ballistic missiles and drones, mines, speedboats, and missile launchers in the Gulf area to confront the US.
He repeated the threat that Tehran would block all exports through the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran were barred from using the waterway, where a fifth of global oil consumption passes.
The US on Tuesday urged Iran to keep the strait open. 鈥淲e call on Iran, and all countries, to respect the free flow of energy and commerce, and freedom of navigation,鈥 a State Department spokesman said.
Iran鈥檚 oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said the US had made a mistake by politicizing oil. 鈥淲ith all our power, we will work toward breaking America鈥檚 sanctions,鈥 he said.
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