Islamic Republic Denies Involvement: We Did Not Participate in Attacks Against American Forces

While the United States and Western countries have accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of being involved in attacks against American and Western forces in the region, as well as attacks on ships, Saeed Iravani, Iran's representative to the United Nations, claimed in a letter to the UN Secretary-General that Iran has not participated in any actions or attacks against American forces. Since the onset of the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza, the U.S. has identified the Houthi group from Yemen, one of Iran's proxy groups in the region, as responsible for a series of attacks in the Red Sea. Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, stated on Monday, December 4, that Washington has 'evidence that these attacks, despite being carried out by the Houthis, are fully orchestrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran.' In recent days, three commercial ships in international waters in the southern Red Sea were attacked. The Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone and missile attack on what they described as two Israeli ships. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Sunday, December 3, wrote in its Persian account on X (formerly Twitter) regarding four attacks on these three commercial ships: 'We believe, based on a lot of evidence, that these attacks, while carried out by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully activated by the Iranian regime.' CENTCOM noted: 'The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its allies and international partners.' Britain also condemned the recent attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of being responsible for these attacks due to its support for the Houthi militants. In response, Nasser Kanani, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, called the British government's position 'baseless.' In recent weeks, Iran-backed militants have also carried out attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. has repeatedly stated that it has messaged Iran not to escalate the military conflict between Hamas and Israel. Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense, had previously warned that if attacks by Iran's proxy groups against U.S. forces continue, the United States would not hesitate to take further actions to protect its forces. However, despite Iran's military and financial support for militant groups in the Middle East, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iranian Foreign Minister, claimed that Iran does not have proxy groups. Among the militant groups supported by the Islamic Republic are Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militia groups in Iraq such as Kata'ib Hezbollah. Iran's support for these groups is conducted through the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which, along with its foreign branch, the Quds Force, is designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. State Department's latest report on global terrorism for 2022 stated that Iran remains the world's largest supporter of terrorism and facilitator of terrorist activities, as it has been for the past forty years. According to this report, published on December 9, the Islamic Republic and Iranian regime officials have engaged in numerous destructive activities not only in the Middle East but also globally, including in European countries. These activities include supporting terrorist plots or actions targeting opponents and other enemies of the regime in the UK, Albania, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark, as well as a plot to assassinate John Bolton, former U.S. National Security Advisor. The escalation of attacks by Iran's proxy militants against U.S. positions in the region has prompted NATO's Secretary-General to call on Iran to control its proxy groups in the Middle East. The Pentagon reported that a U.S. warship and several commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea. The U.S. has sanctioned 'large networks facilitating military financing' of the Islamic Republic, and Senate Republicans are pushing to re-list the 'Iran-backed Houthis' as a terrorist group.