McCarthy in the Israeli Parliament: The Islamic Republic is a Factor of Violence and Instability in the Region

Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, in a speech on Monday at the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, described the Islamic Republic as a major root of unrest, violence, and instability in the region, stating that the Iranian 'regime' is the main threat to peace in the Middle East. In this speech, attended by a delegation from both the Republican and Democratic parties of the U.S., as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yair Lapid, McCarthy said the Islamic Republic continues to finance terrorist activities, arm its proxy groups, and seeks to acquire nuclear weapons. McCarthy further added that the Islamic Republic aims to destabilize Iraq, wants to send missiles to Syria, seeks to strengthen Hezbollah in Lebanon, fuels the fire of the Yemeni civil war, and attempts to besiege Israel with hostile forces. He emphasized, 'We cannot allow the diabolical campaign of the Iranian regime to succeed.' According to him, the U.S. and Israel must continue to stand together to counter the dangerous behavior of the Islamic Republic. He noted that the U.S. has placed Israel under 'CENTCOM' (U.S. Central Command) and stated that as long as he is Speaker of the House, Washington will continue to fully fund security assistance to Israel. McCarthy stated that the U.S. and Israel will overcome the Islamic Republic's guided missiles, drones, 'terrorist tunnels,' and cyberattacks through cooperation. The Speaker of the House stressed that alongside countering Iran's warmongering in the region, there must always be a firm commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Throughout his speech, he referred several times to the 'special relationship' between Israel and the U.S. and reminded that the United States recognized Israel just 11 minutes after its independence. According to McCarthy, 'Thanks to the Abraham Accords, coexistence and cooperation replace conflict and intolerance.' He referred to last week's resolution in the House of Representatives commemorating the 75th anniversary of Israel's establishment and defending the Abraham Accords, stating that the U.S. Congress is ready to provide assistance to deepen and expand these accords. The visit of several American lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties to Israel comes as General Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, also visited Israel last Wednesday and Thursday, meeting with military and defense officials, including Yoav Gallant and Herzl Halevi, the Chief of Staff of the Army. Additionally, General Kurilla praised the capabilities and combat readiness of the Israeli army during his meeting with Israeli military officials, stating, 'Our strategic cooperation in the region, including our long-standing and unbreakable bond with the Israeli Defense Forces, is vital for regional security and stability.'