How Iran Supports Terrorism
The world over has experienced the catastrophic effects or terror. The destruction of property, injury, and death has been immense. Even in as much as the terror activities have been on a reducing scale, Iran remains the world top sponsor of terror.
Iran's continued support for terrorists has been prompted by various facts like the need to control the Middle East. Good ties with the terror groups give them leverage over rival countries like Saudi Arabia. It is also a way to show defiance against the US administration. It is more like the support for terror is part of the Iran foreign policy. This is the only way through they can be able to be a threat to the US interests and allies around the world. This has prompted the continued attack on US assets outside their (US) homeland.
One of the terror groups that Iran helped create, is working with and supporting is the Lebanese Hizballah. This is a group created in the 1980s through the help of Iran, and ever since it has been enjoying support from Iran the forms of training, arming, and nurturing. Iran has been funding the outfit annually to a tune of over $100 million. Iran is also responsible for providing the group with weaponry aids in form of the anti-ship cruise and anti-tank missiles, artillery systems and rockets. The support makes Hizballah capable of launching attacks all over the world. Know more about Mark Dubowitz CEO of FDD here.
The need to have complete influence over Iraq has also made Iran create and support several terror groups in the country. Iran is working to have a weak and vulnerable Iraq that they can control at will. In order to achieve this goal, they have been exploiting their good relationship with Haider al-Abadi government of Baghdad. Through this, they have been able to support militant groups like Hashd al-Shaabi to help push the Islamic state out of Iraq. Iran supports these groups at http://dubowitz.pundicity.com/about/ through training, arming, and offering money.
Iran has influence over Syria which they have used to advance terror groups. Iran has helped Syria in combat, guarding important areas in the country, and improving the regular military. Iran has helped to deploy several fighters to the country, as well controlling all the other foreign fighters from other countries like Pakistan and Lebanon.
Iran funds, trains, and arms all the foreign fighters.
Iran in its need to exact itself as a strong nation will keep on sponsoring terror groups. It also has interests in Yemen, as it works with Houthi forces and other outfits against Israel. Its foreign policy also allows them to cooperate with other established terror groups like Al Qaeda.