Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettAmos Ben Gershom/GPO

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett commented on Tuesday evening on the US decision to keep the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) list.

“I commend the US administration, led by my friend President Joe Biden, on the decision to keep the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in their rightful place — on the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) list.”

“President Biden is a true friend of Israel who is committed to its strength and security.”

“Over the past few months we made our stance clear — the IRGC is the world’s largest terror organization, involved in planning and carrying out deadly acts of terror and destabilizing the Middle East.”

“This is the right, moral and correct decision by President Biden, who updated me on this decision during our last conversation. For this I thank him."

Bennett’s comments came after the Politico website reported that Biden had decided not to remove the IRGC from its list of terrorist organizations, refusing to concede to a key Iranian demand in the negotiations to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

According to several sources, Biden told Bennett of his decision during a phone call on April 24, and that decision is final.

In March, it was reported that the Biden administration was considering removing terrorism sanctions from the IRGC as part of negotiations to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid later said they “refuse to believe” that the US would take such a step.

In April, the Pentagon's top general said he was opposed to removing the elite Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards from the US terror group list.

"In my personal opinion, I believe the IRGC Quds Force to be a terrorist organization, and I do not support them being delisted from the foreign terrorist organization list," Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley told a congressional hearing.