Iranian Parliament Labels US Military as “Terrorist,” Dedicates €200M War Chest to Quds Force

Iran’s parliament unanimously passed a bill designating the Pentagon, and the United States military as “terrorists” and has requested for a €200 million fund to strengthen the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, on Tuesday morning.

The development has come after Qasem Soleiman, a top Iranian general, was assassinated in US drone strikes outside Baghdad airport on January 3, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. On Monday, an unidentified eulogist requested 80 million fellow Iranians to pool in a dollar each, to be offered as bounty on US President Donald Trump’s head for ordering Soleimani’s assassination.

Under the newly adopted bill, the US forces and employees of the Pentagon and affiliated organisations, agents and commanders and those who ordered the "martyrdom" of Soleimani will be branded "terrorists.”

The bill was signed by 206 lawmakers, including members of the parliament’s presiding board and the Budget Integration Commission. One of the points mentioned in the bill calls for the provision of €200 million fund by the Iranian administration to the IRGC Quds Force via National Development Fund to strengthen the defense power of the forces, Tasnim News Agency reported Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened sanctions besides payment of “trillions of dollars” for an air base set up in Iraq if Baghdad were to have its way in demanding a complete troop withdrawal.