The Islamic Republic of Iran emerged in 1979
with the overthrow of the Shah, who was
replaced by a theocratic government headed
by Ayatollah Khomeini. Terrorism against the
West followed almost immediately: On
November 4, 1979, Iranian students seized
the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held 52 U.S.
diplomats as hostages for 444 days.
Since 1985, when the State Department began
issuing annual reports designating terrorist
states, it has repeatedly deemed Iran the
world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.
According to the State Department’s Country
Reports on Terrorism for 2006, Iran’s
“Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) were directly involved in the planning and support
of terrorist acts and continued to exhort a variety of groups, especially Palestinian groups with
leadership cadres in Syria and Lebanese Hizballah, to use terrorism in pursuit of their goals.” The
report also notes that Iran continues to provide safe haven for members of al-Qaeda and supports the
ongoing insurgency in Iraq.
Indeed, Iran’s support for terrorism extends far and wide. It has sponsored airplane hijackings, lethal
attacks against U.S. soldiers stationed in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, kidnappings of Americans and
Europeans, and even a restaurant bombing in Spain. In total, thanks to support from Tehran, the
terrorist group Hizballah – which was created by Iran in 1982 as an offshoot of its military – has killed
more Americans than any group other than al-Qaeda. Hizballah has openly expressed its fealty to Iran.
Its 1985 platform states, “We obey the orders of one leader, wise and just, those of our tutor and jurist
who fulfills all the necessary conditions, [Ayatollah] Khomeini.”
In 1996, the Iran-backed terrorist group Hizballah organized an
attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19
Americans.
Funding Hizballah’s War Against Israel
After Israel withdrew unilaterally from Lebanon in May 2000, Hizballah initiated a massive arms
buildup to prepare for further rounds of fighting against the Jewish state. The terrorist army’s efforts
culminated in the summer of 2006, when it killed eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others,
sparking a war that lasted nearly five weeks. During that time, Iran provided Hizballah with critical
financial and military support and encouraged it to keep fighting.
Currently, Iran is working feverishly to replenish Hizballah’s arms supply for yet another round of
battle against Israel. Hizballah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah has boasted that the terrorist group
“could launch between 1,000 and 3,000 rockets daily” at Israel. Hizballah continues to receive
hundreds of millions of dollars from Iran each year. Nasrallah meets regularly with Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to further bolster their relationship.
Supporting Palestinian Terrorism
Just as it supports Hizballah’s war against Israel, Iran also provides critical aid to the terrorist group
Hamas, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction. After the 1993 signing of the Israeli-Palestinian
Oslo Accords, Hamas committed dozens of suicide bombings that killed hundreds of innocent Israeli
men, women and children. Beyond sponsoring the attacks, Iran provided cash rewards to the families
of the bombers.
Today, Iran is one of the few countries that still sponsor Hamas despite its illegal, violent takeover of
Gaza last June. In January 2006, just after Hamas’ election to lead the PA, Iran defied the international
boycott of Hamas and was one of the first countries to announce its intention to fund the new terrorist
leadership. Iran also provided military training to Hamas fighters for battle against Israel.
Both Hamas and Iran are quite open about their relationship. Mahmoud Zahar, a founder of Hamas,
told the German newspaper Der Spiegel on June 22 that he had transferred large sums of money from
Iran. “I personally once brought $20 million from Iran to the Gaza Strip in a suitcase,” he said. “No,
actually twice – the second time it was $22 million.” In December 2006, then-PA Prime Minister
Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas visited Tehran for meetings with Iran’s leadership. In a discussion with
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Haniyeh candidly said, “Resistance is the only solution
and the Palestinian government will never recognize Israel.”
A Terrorist Regime
Even as Iran’s illicit nuclear program continues to draw headlines, its support for terrorism also
constitutes a potent threat to regional stability. The United States and its allies must further intensify
their economic and political sanctions against Iran in order to compel the Islamic Republic to
terminate its support for terrorism as well as its nuclear weapons program
