Publications

This article examines the unprecedented transformation in the proxy network of the Ayatollah regime across various arenas, and analyzes its implications for Israel and the United States

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. Although most Iranian terrorism attempts have been thwarted, there is no guarantee that this success will persist in the future. It is therefore necessary to examine the characteristics of Iran’s use of terrorism in order to improve the chances of countering it. This memorandum examines Iran’s policy regarding its use of terrorism in the international arena over the past five years, the trends that have characterized it, and its modes of operation-placing these elements within the broader historical context of Iran’s employment of terrorism. 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. This trend requires close attention, both in its own right and because it signals Iran’s growing audacity and confidence in violating international norms and the sovereignty of states-behaviors that may also manifest in other contexts.

Following the collapse of the Assad regime, Hezbollah’s erosion, and increasing pressures on the Shiite militias, is there still a cohesive “Shiite axis” under Tehran’s strategic guidance?