Iranian lawmakers convened an open session of parliament Tuesday with chants of “Death to America,” following a US decision to blacklist Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian media said many of the lawmakers wore the uniform of the guard in a show of support for the force. The session comes as Iran marks the annual National Day of the Revolutionary Guard.
Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani denounced the US decision as the “climax of stupidity and ignorance.”
Monday’s US move, formally under the State Department’s purview, has been made as part of the White House’s increasingly aggressive strategy towards Iran.
The US has already blacklisted dozens of entities and individuals affiliated with the IRGC, but not the entire force.
The IRGC, which has roughly 125,000 military personnel and enjoys growing public support, is also actively cooperating in construction, infrastructure and relief projects.
Also on Monday, Iran responded by designating all US forces as terrorist, and labeling the US a “supporter of terrorism.”
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