Colombia cuts ties with Iran and tightens its hemispheric security policy
Bogotá severed diplomatic ties with Tehran after denouncing the Iranian government's alleged ties to terrorist and narco-terrorist organizations. Consular relations will continue.
A billboard showing a member of the IRGC placing his foot on a U.S. submarine
Colombia formally severed its diplomatic relations with Iran and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, in a shift in its foreign policy under the administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella, AFP reported.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry clarified that the severance took effect on September 19 and is in response to the executive branch's new guidelines regarding "national and hemispheric security" and the fight against transnational crime.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bogotá took into account the "alleged ties" between the Iranian government and international terrorist groups and narco-terrorist organizations, which, it asserted, pose a threat to Colombia's security.
Bogotá maintains consular relations
The Foreign Ministry further argued that the human rights violations attributed to the Iranian government, attacks against countries not involved in the Middle East conflict, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the restrictions imposed on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify the scope of Iran's nuclear program have eroded trust between Bogotá and Tehran.
Revolutionary Guard designated a terrorist group
In a parallel decision, Colombia designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Islamic Republic's ideological military force, as a terrorist organization.
"The group represses the Iranian population and carries out covert operations beyond Iran's borders," the Colombian government stated in its press release.
Bogotá announced that it will strengthen its security controls to prevent individuals associated with the Revolutionary Guard from entering the country.
Bogotá aligns with Washington's policy
Colombia's decision also marks a shift by Bogotá toward aligning with Washington's policy toward Tehran and is part of the new international orientation adopted by the De la Espriella administration.
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