Revision as of 01:22, 31 December 2009
Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution when the American-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown and replaced by an Islamic Republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini, the government of Iran has been accused by United States, Israel and some European countries, of funding, providing equipment, weapons, training and giving sanctuary to terrorists.
The United States State Department lists Iran as the “most active state sponsor of terrorism.” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice elaborated stating, “Iran has been the country that has been in many ways a kind of central banker for terrorism in important regions like Lebanon through Hezbollah in the Middle East, in the Palestinian Territories, and we have deep concerns about what Iran is doing in the south of Iraq.”
In response, Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has accused the US of using the issue of terrorism as a pretext for "hegemonistic plans... to dominate and control the wealth and vital resources of other nations". Iran has rejected all allegations and instead accused United States and Israel of being state sponsors of terrorism.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps
After the fall of the Shah, the Islamic Republic of Iran established the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC - Pasdaran-e Inqilab) to domestically promote the government's social policy. The organization also is accused of spreading its ideology in neighboring regions by training and funding "terrorist organizations". By 1986 the group had 350,000 members and had acquired a small naval and air force. By 1996 the ground forces numbered 100,000 and the naval forces numbered 20,000. They are believed to use the proxy Al Quds Force to train the Islamic militants. Currently Al Quds conducts training units in Iran and Sudan.
The Pasdaran also is believed to have connections with underground organizations in the Middle East. They have a strong influence on groups in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. The largest group of Pasdaran connections is made up of 12,000 Iranians, Afghans, Iraqis, Lebanese Shiites and North Africans who either received training in Iran or during the Afghan War and are presently trained in Sudan, Lebanon, and Iran. The party of Hezbollah is included in this group which provides intelligence, logistics and operational units in Lebanon. The second largest operation relates to Kurds, particularly Iraqi Kurds. The third largest is made up of Kashmiris, Balouchis and Afghans.
Pasdaran supports Hezbollah operations in Lebanon, Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan and Palestine and the Islamic Jihad in Egypt, Turkey, Chechnya and Caucasia.
In 1995 the Iranian Revolutionary Guard held a conference with worldwide organizations accused of engaging in terrorism including the Japanese Red Army, the Armenian Secret Army, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the Iraqi Da'wah Party, the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain and Hezbollah in Beirut for the sole purpose of providing training to these organizations supposedly to help in the destabilization of Gulf States and aid assistance to militants in these countries to replace the existing governments with Iran-like regimes.
The United States State Department claims that this organization provides support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad in Israel. They also say that Pasadaran has given much support and training to terrorists supporting the Palestinian resistance. They are also accused of aiding the Iraqi insurgency in southern Iraq. On September 26, 2007, the United States Senate passed legislation by a vote of 76-22 designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. U.S. President George W. Bush and Congress labeled the group under the guidelines established by Executive Order 13224 issued after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Ministry of Intelligence and Security
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Iran is believed to use the Ministry of Intelligence and Security to gather intelligence to plan terrorist attacks. The ministry is believed to use liaison activities with supported terrorist groups and Islamic fundamentalist movements. The ministry itself is believed to carry out some terrorism mostly directed at political dissidents. Examples of this include the September 1992 assassination of Sadegh Sharaf-Kindi, leader of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and three others in Berlin. There is also speculation that the ministry helped with the Mujahedin units in Bosnia in the 1990s.
Capture of American hostages
Main article: Iran Hostage Crisis
On November 4, 1979, 500 Iranians stormed the American Embassy and took 90 employees and visitors captive. They later released non-Americans, women and African-Americans, and held the 52 remaining Americans hostage for 444 days. The Americans would hold an embargo against Iran and demanded that the hostages be freed. Iran demanded unblocking of Iran's frozen assets in the United States ($24 billion) to release the hostages. Iran also demanded U.S. based Shah of Iran to be arrested and given back to Iran. They would later agree to accept $8 billion in frozen assets in exchange for the release of the hostages.
In 2000 the former hostages would sue the Iranian government for state sponsored terrorism under the 1996 Antiterrorism Act. They would win the suit but would not be awarded damages because of a 2002 judgement that the terms of their release barred awarding any damages.
Hezbollah
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During the 1980s and 1990s, a wave of kidnappings, bombings, and assassinations of Western targets, particularly American and Israeli, occurred in Lebanon and other countries. Claiming responsibility for these 200 attacks that lead to at least 800 deaths, was the "organization" of Islamic Jihad. The attacks included
- The blowing up of a van filled with explosives in front of the U.S. embassy in Beirut killing 58 Americans and Lebanese in 1983.
- The 1983 Beirut barracks bombing of the U.S. Marine and French 'Drakkar' barracks which killed 241 American and 58 French peacekeepers.
- The hijacking of TWA flight 847 holding the 39 Americans on board hostage for weeks in 1985
- The bombing of the Israeli Embassy killing twenty-nine in 1992
- The bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina killing 95 in 1994
Islamic Jihad is widely believed to be a nom de guerre of the Lebanese Islamist political movement and social service agency Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 with many millions of dollars of aid and considerable training and logistical support from the Islamic Republic. Many believe the group promotes the Iranian agenda and that its goal is to overthrow the moderate governments in the area and create Islamic Republics based on that of Iran as well as the destruction of Israel.
Its motives include assassinations, kidnappings, suicide bombings, and guerilla warfare. It is believed to be the Islamic terrorist group that popularized suicide bombings. Other attacks credited to Hezbollah include:
- The attack on the Khobar Towers housing complex in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, killing 19 U.S servicemen in 1996.
- Firing of 100s of rockets into northern Israel on a daily basis and capture of Israeli soldiers in 2006
Henry Crumpton, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism stated, “ clearly directing a lot of Hezbollah actions. Hezbollah asks their permission to do things, especially if it has broader international implications.” However it seemed that when reformist Iranian President Mohammad Khatami took office in 1996 the Iran-Hezbollah connection declined. But some commentators believe that the election of the current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has increased Iranian support for the group.
In addition to the millions of dollars a year Iran provides to Hezbollah are weapons such as mortars, Sagger anti-tank guided missiles, mines, explosives and small arms. Iran is believed to train Hezbollah mostly by its al-Quds force in its “Imam Ali” base in northern Tehran.
Israel
Iran has a historical connection to military attacks in Israel, lending support to groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. Recently they have been accused of taking control of "many terrorist cells" in Yasser Arafat's Fatah Movement in Palestine and Israel believes they are the architects of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Some believe that Iran controls the majority of terrorism in Israel.
Iran has had public diplomatic relations with Hamas since the 1990s when they invited representatives to attend the Foreign Ministry's institute that studies international and political affairs. In 1992 several million dollars were transferred to Hamas’ account, including money originating from the Iranian “Fund for the Martyrs”, which grants assistance to victims of the “Palestinian Uprising”.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is considered the most loyal Palestinian group to Iran despite being Sunni. Iran is believed to provide the organization’s activists with logistic support and Iranian identification papers.
Iraq
Iran has been accused of helping the insurgency in Iraq. Some including the United States State Department believe they are smuggling into Iraq and helping to arm Iran's allies among the Shiite militias, including those of the anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi army. Evidence for this is that weapons, including mortars, rockets and munitions bear Iranian markings. U.S. commanders report that these bombs inflicted 30 percent of all American military casualties in Iraq excluding Anbar province, where these weapons have not been found. Furthermore U.S. intelligence has obtained satellite photographs of three training camps for Iraqi insurgents near Iran's capital where they are allegedly trained guerilla tactics, kidnapping and assassination.
Admiral and United States Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell stated in an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations that there is overwhelming evidence that Iran is arming the insurgency in Iraq, "The Iranians today, we have clear evidence, are providing the very weapons that are causing U.S. servicemen and women to die. That’s clear, that’s not refuted, that’s not hawkish, that’s not shaded. That is the fact." He stated that Iran is providing explosively formed projectiles, a very deadly weapon to the Shiite militants in Iraq.
During his address to the United States Congress on September 11, 2007, Commanding officer for the United States forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus noted that the multinational forces in Iraq have found that Iran's Quds force has provided training, equipment, funding, and direction to terrorists. “When we captured the leaders of these so-called special groups … and the deputy commander of a Lebanese Hezbollah department that was created to support their efforts in Iraq, we’ve learned a great deal about how Iran has, in fact, supported these elements and how those elements have carried out violent acts against our forces, Iraqi forces and innocent civilians.”
Other allegations
Along with the above allegations, Iran is also accused of other acts of terrorism. Including:
- The 1988 murder and kidnapping of Colonel William Higgins in Lebanon.
- The Fatwa placed on Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie for his novel The Satanic Verses. In April 1996, Mohammad Yazdi, the head of Iran's judiciary stated that " will finally be carried out someday".
- Attempting to disrupt the talks at the Madrid Conference in the early 1990s.
- October 28, 1991 - An American Sergeant's car is detonated in Istanbul, Turkey, the Turkish Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.
- October 29, 1991 - A rocket is fired at the American Embassy in Beirut. The Revolutionary Arab Forces claimed responsibility in protest against the Peace Process.
- October 30, 1991 - A rocket is fired at the Spanish Consulate in Zidon.
- Concerns have been raised in December 2007 by the United States and allies about Iran's involvement in the nation of Nicaragua
- Aiding the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan (2001-) against coalition forces.
See also
- Allegations of state terrorism by Russia
- Allegations of state terrorism in Sri Lanka
- Allegations of state terrorism by the United States
References
- ^ "State Sponsors: Iran". Council of Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Saudi cleric blasts Israel". BBC. 2002-02-22. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Qods (Jerusalem) Force Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC -Pasdaran-e Inqilab)". GlobalSecurity.org. 2005-04-26. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Senate on Iran Revolutionary Guard: Terrorist Organization". Friends Committee on National Legislation. 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "U.S. to Label Iran Revolutionary Guard 'Terrorists'". Fox News. 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Operations Ministry of Intelligence and Security MOIS Vezarat-e Ettela'at va Amniat-e Keshvar VEVAK". FAS. 1997-12-08. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
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{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - William, Beeman (2006-08-15). "Examining Irans ties to Hezbollah". In These Times. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Robert Grace (2006-09). "Understanding the Iran-Hezbollah Connection". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Iranian Support of Terrorism". Mission for the Establishment of Human Rights in Iran. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - La Guardia, Anton (2004-10-15). "Iran "in control of terrorism in Israel"". Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Chapter 6 -- State Sponsors of Terror Overview". U.S. Department of State. 2006-04-28. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Caldwell, Robert (2007-08-03). "Iran and Syria's proxy war in Iraq". Bend Weekly. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Kaplan, Eben (2007-07-28). "McConnell Cites 'Overwhelming Evidence' of Iran's Support for Iraqi Insurgents". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Bowers, Carol (2007-09-11). "Iran Playing 'Destabilizing Role' in Iraq". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Bensman, Todd (2007-12-18). "Iran's push into Nicaragua a worry for U.S., allies". San Antonio Express News. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Wright, Robin (September 16, 2007). "Iranian Arms Destined for Taliban Seized in Afghanistan, Officials Say". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 December 2009.