In the last five years, Iran has stepped up its involvement in global terrorism, according to new research by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an Israeli think-tank.
“Over the past five years, Iran’s activity in the arena of international terrorism has significantly intensified, spreading across vast geographic regions and incorporating criminal organizations in the execution of terrorist operations,” read the paper led by counter-terrorism expert Yoram Schweitzer.
“Although most Iranian terrorism attempts have been thwarted, there is no guarantee that this success will persist in the future.”
It comes as the UK parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee has just produced a report saying that Iran remains one of the country’s biggest foreign threats on domestic soil, as reported by The Telegraph, highlighting the targeting of Iranian dissidents in the UK and cyber attacks aimed at UK companies.
Last year, the head of Britain’s MI5 intelligence service also said Iran remains one of the country’s biggest foreign threats.
Arrests of people accused of involvement in alleged Iran-backed attacks have happened in countries around the world from Azerbaijan to Greece, and have stepped up since the Gaza war.
Last year, the European Parliament said: "The Iranian regime’s use of criminal networks as terrorist proxies in Europe poses a grave threat to our internal security."
Plots targeting Israelis abroad have also been exposed in countries such as Cyprus, Turkey and Georgia.
“An analysis of Iran’s terrorism policy reveals a troubling trend, illustrating that Iran remains committed to employing international terrorism and is even amplifying its efforts in this regard, demonstrating a willingness to risk friction with numerous states in order to pursue its policy,” the INSS report said.
The researchers said Iran has become more confident “in violating international norms” with most operations abroad carried out under the responsibility of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), specifically the foreign branch known as the Quds Force, and the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Other attacks have fallen under the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.
Last year, the European Parliament once again called to add the IRGC to the list of terrorist organizations, following the likes of the US and Canada.
"Iran’s hostile activities abroad are not a new phenomenon. The European Parliament has repeatedly called for the EU to take action against the Iranian regime, including by adding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the EU terrorist list," a statement in October said.
The INSS paper also pointed out Iran's use of its military allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and criminal organizations.
