US Defense Secretary: Iran's Support for Terrorism Has Not Changed in the Past Five Years

James Mattis, the US Secretary of Defense, stated on Friday, April 11, that Iran continues to export terrorism worldwide and support militia groups. According to Reuters, General Mattis, who was attending a press conference in London, responded to a question about his statements from five years ago, where he labeled Iran as the primary threat to the United States, by saying that Iran's behavior has not changed over the years. He stated, "At that time, when I spoke about Iran, I was the head of the US Central Command, and Iran was the main exporter of terrorism. To be honest, it was the primary state supporting terrorism, and today it continues the same behavior." In mid-February of last year, Mattis accused Iran of "interfering" in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries during a phone call with his Saudi counterpart and assured that the United States would stand against Iran's behavior. He also reiterated in a press conference alongside his Japanese counterpart that Iran is the "largest supporter of terrorism in the world." However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected these accusations, identifying the US as the main culprit in the formation of terrorist groups in the region. Five years ago, General Mattis, in response to a question about the primary threat to the United States, had stated: "Iran, Iran, Iran." The US has designated Iran as a "state sponsor of terrorism" since 1984, and in its latest report, the State Department stated that Iran continues to provide financial support, resources, and guidance to several terrorist groups and organizations that threaten stability in the Middle East and Central Asia. In this context, General Votel stated: "We must explore various methods to disrupt Iran's activities." The US Ambassador to the UN emphasized the need to be the voice of people like Neda Agha-Soltan. In response to the American general, Iran labeled the US as the source of terrorism in the region. The US "may send up to a thousand military forces to Syria."