10 Facts About Iran Sponsoring Terrorism

4. Iran Is An Active State Sponsor of Terrorism Worldwide

In July 2012, the United States State Department released a report on terrorism around the world in 2011. The report states that Iran remained an active state sponsor of terrorism in 2011, and increased its terrorist-related activity. It also stated Iran continued to provide financial, material, and logistical support for terrorist and militant groups throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. The report states that Iran has continued to provide lethal support, including weapons, training, funding, and guidance, to Iraqi Shia militant groups targeting U.S. and Iraqi forces, as well as civilians. Despite pledging to support the stabilization of Iraq, and that the Quds Force provided training to the Taliban in Afghanistan on small unit tactics, small arms, explosives, and indirect fire weapons, such as mortars, artillery, and rockets.

Additionally, Iran has provided weapons and training to the Assad regime in Syria which has launched a brutal crackdown on Syrian rebels. In addition to providing weapons, training, and funding to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, among others, and has assisted in rearming Hezbollah. Iran has remained unwilling to bring to justice senior members of Al Qaeda that it continued to detain, and also refused to publicly identify these senior members. Iran has also allowed Al Qaeda members to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iranian territory, which has enabled Al Qaeda to carry funds and move facilitators and operatives to South Asia and elsewhere.