Iran's Reaction to US Report: We Are the Most Serious Force Against Terrorism

The Iranian Foreign Ministry reacted to the annual report of the United States regarding the state of terrorism in the world, stating that the Islamic Republic is the "most serious and effective force against terrorism." Tehran claims that Washington's regional allies "support ISIS and other terrorist groups." On June 3, the US State Department named the Islamic Republic of Iran as the "largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world," engaged in "providing financial support, training, and equipping extremist groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon." The report emphasized that Iran, in addition to financially supporting and equipping Hezbollah and the government of Bashar al-Assad, is responsible for supplying equipment and weapons to militants in Bahrain and continues to assist anti-Israeli groups like Hamas. Hossein Jaberi Ansari, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated in a statement published on June 5 that Iran's "principled policy framework" is cooperation with governments and international organizations "in the path of real and comprehensive confrontation with terrorism." In this statement, the United States is referred to as the "largest supporter of state terrorism," which, through its "unconditional support" for Israel, has caused the Palestinian people to be deprived of their fundamental rights. The Iranian Foreign Ministry added that the US currently contributes to this issue by "actively supporting the growth of extremism and terrorism and turning a blind eye to the extensive financial and political support of Saudi Arabia and its other allies." Tehran cited examples from "Yemen to Libya" in this regard. Iran is considered a supporter of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to leave power. Hadi went to Aden, and with the advance of the Houthis and their allies, he fled to Saudi Arabia. As the rebels approached Aden, a Saudi-led coalition began airstrikes. The United Nations recently placed this coalition on its blacklist for the war in Yemen and the killing of children, due to violations of children's rights during military conflicts. The United States had previously welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to reduce attacks in Yemen. Iran is also a main supporter of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria, which the United States opposes and has called for his resignation. A US-led coalition conducts airstrikes in Syria against the "Islamic State" group. Iran has sent a group of its military forces from the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards and the army to Syria, which Tehran claims are "advisors." Some of these individuals have been killed in recent months during the Syrian conflict. The US State Department has stated that the continued use of the Quds Force for "implementing the Islamic Republic's foreign policy goals" causes "instability throughout the Middle East." Additionally, Iran's support for Bashar al-Assad's regime is cited as another reason for the country's leading position on the list of "state sponsorship of terrorism." The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated in its statement on Saturday that Iran is one of the main victims of terrorism and has urged the US to stop publishing reports that "distort reality" and to engage in "serious and comprehensive confrontation with the actual manifestations of support for and the spread of terrorism in the region and the world." In the US annual report on the state of terrorism, the governments of Syria and Sudan follow Iran on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The accusation of state sponsorship of terrorism is accompanied by sanctions, which, alongside sanctions related to human rights violations or the development of ballistic missile programs, continue against Iran.