Trump admin cheers ‘important steps’ as Paraguay targets Iran and its terror proxies

The Trump administration is applauding a major move by a key South American ally in the global fight against terrorism On Thursday the U S State Department issued a comment congratulating Paraguay s President Santiago Pe a for officially labeling Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC a terrorist organization a decision the U S calls a critical blow to Iran s terror setup in the Western Hemisphere The United States welcomes President Santiago Pe a s designation of Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC as a terrorist organization explained State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce In addition to the IRGC designation Paraguay also expanded its designations of the armed wings of Hezbollah and Hamas to include the entirety of both organizations The Trump administration hailed it as a firm stand against Iranian-backed extremism NUCLEAR WATCHDOG URGES 'TRUST BUT VERIFY' THAT IRAN ENGAGES IN GOOD-FAITH NEGOTIATIONS Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world and has financed and directed numerous terrorist attacks and events globally through its IRGC-Qods Force and proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas Bruce reported The decision is particularly substantial in the Tri-Border Area the region where Paraguay borders Argentina and Brazil which has long been considered a financial hub for Hezbollah-linked operatives The State Department explained Paraguay s action will help cut off the Iranian regime s ability to fund terrorism and operate in Latin America The fundamental attempts Paraguay has taken will help cut off the ability of the Iranian regime and its proxies to plot terrorist attacks and raise money for its malignant and destabilizing activity Bruce added highlighting the Tri-Border Area as a critical front in this effort TRUMP GROUP HOLDS 'CONSTRUCTIVE' FACE-TO-FACE NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN WILL MEET AGAIN NEXT WEEKENDThe Trump administration noted it plans to build on this momentum and continue working with allies to confront Iran s global influence The United States will continue to work with partners such as Paraguay to confront global protection threats Bruce disclosed We call on all countries to hold the Iranian regime accountable and prevent its operatives recruiters financiers and proxies from operating in their territories This isn t a one-off Since his first term Trump has made confronting Iran s terror apparatus a cornerstone of his foreign protocol In he pulled the U S out of the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action JCPOA calling it one of the worst and the majority one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into Now the Trump administration is back at the negotiating table but on its own terms Two rounds of nuclear talks have already taken place this month with a third scheduled for later this week A senior administration official announced the discussions have made very good progress though the details remain closely guarded As Bruce emphasized Washington is calling on all countries to follow suit in holding the Iranian regime accountable CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe United States does not at the moment have a permanent Ambassador to Paraguay Instead Amir Masliyah holds the position of Charg D Affaires Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this summary