Colombia cuts ties with Iran, declares IRGC a terrorist group
Colombia has broken diplomatic relations with Iran and declared the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization, accusing Tehran of links to groups threatening Colombian security.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry announced both decisions on Thursday, saying the diplomatic break had taken effect on September 19. The government will also strengthen border and security controls to prevent people associated with the IRGC from entering the country.
The ministry cited “alleged links between the government of Iran and international terrorist groups and other narcoterrorist groups that threaten the country’s security.” It did not name those groups or describe the suspected connections.
Colombia also accused Iran of human rights abuses, attacks on countries outside the Middle East conflict and blocking the Strait of Hormuz. It said Iranian authorities had obstructed the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) efforts to verify the scope of the country’s nuclear program.
“The events described eroded Colombia’s trust in the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ministry said.
The government described the IRGC as a serious danger to international peace and security. “This group represses the Iranian population and carries out covert attacks beyond Iran’s borders,” it said in the statement.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
