State Department Highlights Iranian Support For Terrorism in 2008

On April 30, 2009, the U.S. State Department released the annual Country Reports on Terrorism assessment for 2008, concluding that “Iran remained the most significant state sponsor of terrorism.”[1] Primarily relying on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, Iran cultivates and channels support to “terrorist and Islamic militant groups abroad,” including Lebanese Hezbollah, HAMAS, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), select Iraqi Shi’a militant groups, and Islamic militants in Afghanistan, the Balkans, “and elsewhere.”[2] Moreover, the report stated, the “Government of Iran also continued to pursue an expansion of its military ties during this period into the Western Hemisphere and parts of Africa, including through its IRGC-Qods Force.”[3] 

Referring to the report on April 30, Iran’s Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki – attending a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Cuba – stated that “The US, because of everything that has been done in the Guantanamo prison and for its support of Israel, racism and occupation, has no jurisdiction to accuse other countries [of sponsoring terrorism]...The policy of double standards of the United States is known to the world. Therefore, the US has nothing new to say”[4]

For more background on Iran’s relationship with HAMAS in 2008, follow this link.

For more background on Iran’s relationship with Hezbollah in 2008, follow this link.

For more background on Iran's hard power influence in Iraq, follow this link.

For more press coverage of Iranian news outlets, follow this link.