Iranian lawmakers showed up at the weekly parliament session dressed in military garb and chanted ‘death to America’ in protest of the US’ recent decision to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist group.

Members of parliament from various political factions wore a dark green revolutionary guard uniform in a show of solidarity with the elite forces on Tuesday. After chanting anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans, several speeches were given denouncing the unprecedented decision of putting an official branch of a foreign military on a list of terrorist organizations. The session coincided with the country celebrating the National Day of the Revolutionary Guard.

Washington labeled the IRGC a terrorist group on Monday, accusing them of financing and promoting terrorism through the Middle East. In direct response to Washington’s decision, Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) reciprocally declared the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) “all its affiliates” to be terrorists, a point they continued to emphasize today.

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Conservative Speaker of Parliament, top 2015 nuclear-deal negotiator, and former IRGC member Ali Larijani told those assembled in the Iranian parliament that “the government of the US should be held accountable” for being the “the founder and supporter of terrorist groups,” rather than the Guard. He also called out Donald Trump’s hypocrisy, pointing out that the US continues to make lucrative deals with Saudi Arabia despite their alleged role in financing terrorism and rampant human rights violations. Saudi Arabia has naturally welcomed the US’ decision, as has the Islamic republic’s other major rival, Israel.

In a meeting with the Guard on Tuesday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told them that, despite what America thinks they are doing, their "evil designs” will not cause any harm. The IRGC is subordinate to, and take orders directly from the Ayatollah.

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“In spite of all the pressure in the past 40 years, Americans have failed to do a damn thing and their vicious move will bear no fruit,” the Ayatollah added.

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