The US has stepped up its sanctions on Iran for "supporting terrorists" and pursuing nuclear activities.
The new measures target the finances of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three state-owned banks.

The guards force was established after the Islamic revolution in 1979

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the moves were part of "a comprehensive policy to confront the threatening behaviour of the Iranians".

But Iran said the latest "hostile policies" were counter to international law, and accused the US of hypocrisy.

The US declared the Revolutionary Guards a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction", a reference to ballistic missiles they are allegedly developing, while their elite overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, was singled out as a "supporter of terrorism".

The US has repeatedly accused Iran of destabilising Iraq and Afghanistan, blaming the Revolutionary Guards for supplying and training insurgents.

'Illicit activities'

Ms Rice accused Iran of a litany of abuses, including pursuing technologies "that can lead to a nuclear weapon", building ballistic missiles, and spurning peace talks.

She said Iran was supporting militants in Iraq and "terrorists" in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, and said Iran had threatened to destroy Israel.

Under Executive Order 13382, US authorities will be able to freeze the assets of, and prohibit any US citizen or organisation from doing business with the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran's ministry of defence, which controls the country's defence industry, three Iranian banks, and several companies owned by the Guards will also be designated.

"These actions will help to protect the international financial system from the illicit activities of the Iranian government," Ms Rice said.

The British government said it "endorsed" the move, but it was condemned by Iran's foreign ministry.

"The hostile policies of America against the respectful Iranian nation and our legal organisations are against international regulations and have no value," the state broadcaster IRIB quoted a spokesman as saying.

"It is incongruent for a country who itself is a producer of weapons of mass destruction to take such a decision. A country that has created and supported many terrorist groups cannot obstruct the course of development, progress and prosperity for the Iranian nation nor can it do so for our country's legitimate institutions," said Mohammad Ali Hosseini.

Analysts said it was not clear how big an effect the sanctions would have, since the Guards probably had very limited assets in the US. However, they said the move might discourage other countries from dealing with the Iranian institutions.

The Guards' Quds Force was singled out after being accused by US officials of supplying powerful roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades to Shia militants in Iraq.

Thought to have 15,000 troops, it is responsible for conducting covert missions overseas and for forging relationships with other Shia groups.

"The Quds Force controls the policy for Iraq," the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, said earlier this month. "There should be no confusion about that."

Dominant force

The Revolutionary Guards force was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system, and to provide a counterweight to the regular armed forces.

It has since become the dominant military force in Iran, with past members including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a number of his cabinet ministers.

It is estimated to have 125,000 active members, and boasts its own ground forces, navy and air force, and controls Iran's strategic weapons.

It also controls the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force and the powerful bonyads, or charitable foundations, which run a considerable part of the Iranian economy.

REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS

- Officially the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), or Pasdaran
- Formed after 1979 revolution
- Loyal to clerics and counter to regular military
- Estimated 125,000 troops
- Includes ground forces, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces
- Also has political influence: dozens of ex-guard sit as MPs
- Iran President Ahmadinejad is a former member

Source: Globalsecurity.org

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle … 061991.stm