Iran spends $1 bn a year to support terrorists, is world’s leading sponsor of terrorism: US State Department

Washington: In a report, the US State Department alleged that ‘Despite the US-imposed sanctions, Iran has not stopped funding the terrorists. Even today, Iran is providing $1 billion to the terrorists.’ The report claims that Iran finances the terrorist organisations in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, Iran has been accused of funding Al Qaeda’s terrorist activities in Syria as well as in Afghanistan in the report.

Two days ago, the US State Department published a report titled – ‘The Country Reports on Terrorism 2018’. Nathan Sales, the US State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, informed that Iran was the biggest sponsor and supporter of terrorism. Also, Iran had funded terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Islamic Jihad, Houthi rebels as even groups in Iraq to the tune of $1 billion to expand its influence in the Middle East, the report said.

The report highlights that ‘Iran had perpetrated terror attacks in the European countries as well. The Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), was involved in the terrorist activities that took place in Germany in January and was exposed in the investigation carried out by the German agencies. The Belgian, French and German agencies had informed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were involved in the plot to attack the meeting of Iran’s political opponents held in Paris. Apart from that, the involvement of the terrorist groups linked to Iran, in Denmark and Albania, in October and December respectively, had been exposed as well.’

Moreover, the report goes on to allege that ‘The United States successfully clamped down on the activities of the Al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks. However, Iran provided refuge to Al Qaeda in the country and assisted them to expand their influence in Syria and Afghanistan by providing them with financial assistance and weapons’. Despite the strict sanctions the United States imposed for containing the pro-terror activities, Iran has not stopped assisting them, the report asserted.

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