Iran and state-sponsored terrorism
Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused by several countries of training, financing, and providing weapons and safe havens for non-state militant actors, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and other Palestinian groups such as the Islamic Jihad (IJ) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). These groups are designated terrorist groups by a number of countries and international bodies such as the EU, UN, and NATO; however, Iran considers such groups to be "national liberation movements" with a right to self-defense against Israeli military occupation.[1] These proxies are used by Iran across the Middle East and Europe to foment instability, expand the scope of the Islamic Revolution, and carry out terrorist attacks against Western targets in the regions. Its special operations unit, the Quds Force, is known to provide arms, training, and financial support to militias and political movements across the Middle East, including Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen.[2]
A number of countries (Argentina, Thailand, Albania,[3] Denmark,[4] France,[5] India,[6] Kenya,[7] United States)[8][9][10] have also accused Iran's government itself, particularly its military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of plotting assassinations or bombings in their countries and others against perceived enemies of the Iranian government. In response, economic sanctions against the Iranian regime have been imposed by many countries and the United Nations. The first sanctions were imposed by the United States in November 1979, after a group of radical students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took hostages.[11][12] The sanctions were expanded in 1995 to include business dealings with the Iranian government. However, these sanctions have not significantly impacted the country's relationships with its proxies. The United States Department of State estimated that Iran spent more than $16 billion in support of the Assad regime and its proxies between 2012 and 2020, a period in which Iran funneled more than $700 million to Hezbollah.
Alleged activities in other countries[edit]
Albania[edit]
On 19 December 2018 Albania expelled Iran's ambassador to the country, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, and another Iranian diplomat for "involvement in activities that harm the country's security", for "violating their diplomatic status and supporting terrorism."[3] The expelled Iranians were alleged to have plotted terrorist attacks in the country, including targeting MEK\PMOI event to silence dissidents.[17]
In July 2022, Iranian state cyber actors—who identified themselves as "HomeLand Justice"—launched a destructive cyber attack against the Albanian government,[18][19] rendering websites and services unavailable. An FBI investigation indicates Iranian state cyber actors acquired initial access to the Albanian network approximately 14 months before launching the attack. On July 18, HomeLand Justice claimed credit. In September 2022, the same actors launched another wave of cyber attacks against the Albanian infrastructure, using similar malware as the cyber attacks in July. As a result, Albania officially severed diplomatic ties with Iran[20][21] and ordered Iranian embassy staff to leave the country, citing the cyberattacks.[22][23]
Bahrain[edit]
On 30 September 2015, Bahraini security forces discovered a large bomb-making factory in Nuwaidrat and arrested a number of suspects linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The next day, 1 October, Bahrain recalled its ambassador to Iran and asked the Iranian acting charge d’affaires to leave the kingdom within 72 hours after he was declared persona non-grata. Bahrain's decision to recall its ambassador came "in light of continued Iranian meddling in the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain in order to create sectarian strife and to impose hegemony and control.[24][25]
On 6 January 2016, Bahrain said it had dismantled a terrorist cell allegedly linked to the Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah. The Bahraini interior ministry said the cell was planning to carry out a “series of dangerous bombings” on the kingdom, and that many members were arrested including the group's leaders, 33-year-old twins Ali and Mohammed Fakhrawi.[26]
India[edit]
In July 2012, The Times of India reported that New Delhi police had concluded that terrorists belonging to a branch of Iran's military, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, were responsible for an attack on 13 February 2012, during which a bomb explosion targeted an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi, India, wounding one embassy staff member, a local employee, and two passers-by. According to the report, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards may have planned other attacks on Israeli targets around the world as well.[6][27][28]
Taliban insurgency[edit]
Iran does not designate the Taliban as a terrorist organization, and the IRGC actively opposes any U.S. presence in Afghanistan.[113] American and British officials have accused Iran in the past of giving weapons and support to the Taliban insurgency.[114][115][116][117] Due to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Iran had to close some of its consulates in that country,[118][119] but kept the embassy open.[120] Unlike the tense relationship between the two sides in the 1990s,[121] Iran competed with Pakistan in giving support to the reestablished Taliban government.[122][123]
Along with the above allegations, Iran is also accused of other acts of terrorism. Including: