U.S. State Department Annual Report: Iran is a Major Sponsor of Terrorism

The U.S. Department of State, in its annual terrorism report published on Thursday, December 13, announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran remained the "primary state sponsor of terrorism" in 2023, advancing terrorist and illegal activities in the U.S. and around the world. The annual report, available on the U.S. State Department's website, states that the Islamic Republic of Iran conducted terrorist activities in the Middle East through its proxy groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansar Allah (Houthis) in Yemen, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command. In this context, it also references multiple Houthi attacks on shipping lines in the Red Sea, which significantly disrupted maritime trade and global commerce. The annual terrorism report also addresses the activities of Iranian-affiliated militias in Iraq and Syria, which have repeatedly attacked American forces in the region. According to the report, globally, the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran remain key players in supporting recruitment, financing, and executing terrorist plots across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Reuters reported in mid-October that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been involved in at least 33 attempts at assassination or kidnapping in Europe and the U.S. since 2020. Previously, on November 9, the U.S. Department of Justice published details of an indictment related to foiling an Islamic Republic plot to assassinate Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, before the presidential election. According to the criminal indictment filed in federal court in Manhattan, New York, an anonymous member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had ordered one of the Iranian operatives in September to prepare a plan to monitor and ultimately assassinate Trump. The annual report from the U.S. State Department also noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran continuously targets its imaginary opponents and enemies outside of Iran. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an indictment accusing three individuals linked to the Iranian government of conspiring to assassinate an Iranian dissident (Masih Alinejad) in New York City. The report also refers to another case in the same year in the UK, where a court found a man guilty of attempting to gather information for terrorist purposes against Iran International in London. The U.S. State Department's report mentions the expulsion of several Iranian officials from Albania, Belgium, and the Netherlands due to their involvement in terrorist plots. According to this annual report, the significant involvement of the Islamic Republic of Iran in global terrorism poses a major threat to international peace and security. The U.S. State Department has called on other countries to take actions to limit the Islamic Republic of Iran's support for its destabilizing activities. Miller told Voice of America: "No other expectation can be had from Khamenei as a supporter of terrorism." Speeches by U.S. senators from both parties in support of the Iranian people and against the Islamic Republic. The U.S.: American citizens should not travel to dangerous countries including Iran. The U.S. expresses hope for a change in the 'failed' approach of the Iranian government. Emphasis on the role of the Islamic Republic in the destabilization of Syria and the export of terrorism. A senior Republican member of Congress: I will not be intimidated by the threats of the Iranian government. A bipartisan congressional plan to counter the Iranian government's plots in the U.S.