Iran: US bases at risk if sanctions pass

The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is reportedly warning Washington against imposing sanctions on Tehran, saying U.S. military bases in the region would be at risk. 

“As we’ve announced in the past, if America’s new law for sanctions is passed, this country will have to move their regional bases outside the 2,000 km range of Iran’s missiles,” Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Sunday, according to an Iranian state media report cited by Reuters. 

{mosads}Jafari also addressed the White House’s announcement on Friday that President Trump would respond to Iran’s support for “terrorism,” a reference to the influential Revolutionary Guard security force. 

“If the news is correct about the stupidity of the American government in considering the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group, then the Revolutionary Guards will consider the American army to be like Islamic State all around the world particularly in the Middle East,” he said. 

The comments come as Trump prepares to announce his decision on the multilateral Iran nuclear deal. 

The president is approaching an Oct. 15 deadline to certify whether Iran is abiding by the terms of the agreement, which imposes restrictions on its nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief. 

Trump has lashed out at the deal in the past, referring to it as “the worst deal I’ve ever seen.”

Various reports last Thursday said Trump plans to decertify the deal, which would trigger a congressional review over whether to reimpose nuclear sanctions. 

Some administration officials, however, have argued in favor of preserving the deal in an effort to neutralize tensions with Tehran.