The Iranian regime poses the greatest threat to America in the Middle East and is rapidly advancing its nuclear program, funding terrorism and deepening its relationships with our adversaries.

Hatred for America: The Iranian regime is built upon animosity towards the United States. In one of its first actions after taking power in 1979, the regime kidnapped 52 U.S. diplomats at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Iran’s leaders routinely lead chants of “Death to America” alongside “Death to Israel.”

Murdering American troops: Iran is responsible for the deaths and injuries of thousands of American troops. Iran paid Taliban fighters a bounty of $1,000 for each U.S. soldier they killed in Afghanistan, and Iranian-supplied roadside bombs killed an estimated 1,100 U.S. soldiers as well as other Coalition troops in Iraq. Iran has directly attacked U.S. troops with ballistic missiles and drones.

Aiding 9/11 hijackers: Iran knowingly permitted members of al-Qaeda, including several of the 9/11 hijackers, to transit Iranian territory on their way to Afghanistan for training. In 2018, a U.S. judge ordered Iran to pay $6 billion to the families of 9/11 victims for supporting the hijackers.

Hosting al-Qaeda: Iran hosts senior al-Qaeda members and refuses to disclose the terrorists it knows to be living in Iran. For years, Iran has allowed al-Qaeda to operate within the country, training terrorists and orchestrating terrorism around the world. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Iran and Al-Qaeda began cooperating during the early 1990s, and they have maintained a relationship ever since.

Taking American hostages: In addition to the 52 Americans taken hostage in 1979, Iran has repeatedly imprisoned U.S. citizens on spurious charges and without due process for decades. Former FBI agent Bob Levinson has not been heard from since he was kidnapped in Iran in 2007.

Interfering in U.S. elections: Iranian agents are attempting to influence American elections through a variety of means, including cyberattacks. The U.S. intelligence community in 2024 “observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle, specifically involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting presidential campaigns.”

Assassination plots against Americans: Iranian agents have been indicted for plotting to assassinate former senior U.S. government officials and activists who criticize the Iranian regime — at least four plots have been disrupted in the past three years. The U.S. intelligence community recently warned of “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate [presidential candidate Donald Trump] in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States.”

Growing nuclear threat: Iran has dramatically expanded its nuclear program since October 7, threatening our allies and risking a nuclear arms race in the region. Iran is also developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the United States.

Deepening relationships with America’s adversaries: Iran recently signed agreements to deepen its military and strategic ties with America’s leading adversaries, joining forces to undermine U.S. interests.

• China: Iran is exporting approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, primarily to China, in violation of U.S. sanctions and at discount prices, strengthening America’s chief adversary in the world.
• Russia: Iran is selling drones and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, and helping Russia evade U.S. sanctions, in exchange for military equipment and political support.
• North Korea: Iran and North Korea have a long history of cooperation in the development of ballistic missiles.
• Venezuela: Iran has deepened its relationship with Venezuela, providing the Maduro regime with oil to support its economy, and it’s rumored that Iran is seeking to establish a naval base there to operate in the Americas.

Funding terrorism: In addition to all of these direct threats posed by Iran, the regime is also the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, spending more than $1 billion annually supporting its terrorist proxies throughout the region.

Gaza: For nearly 20 years, Hamas controlled the Gaza Strip, using the territory as a base for terrorism and to orchestrate attacks against Israel and Americans.

• Decades of Hamas attacks: Even before the October 7 attack, Hamas murdered more than a dozen Americans over four decades.
• Threats against America: Hamas leaders routinely threaten the United States and our allies. In 2023, a senior Hamas leader said: “All of America’s enemies in the region [including Hamas, Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia] are consulting and getting closer, and the day may come when they join the war together, and turn America into a thing of the past.”
• The October 7 attack: On October 7, 2023, more than 1,200 men, women and children, including over 40 Americans and citizens of more than 40 countries, were slaughtered by Hamas. Hamas also took 251 people hostage that day, including 12 Americans.

Lebanon: Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has hollowed out the state of Lebanon and transformed it into a base for terrorism while launching attacks against Americans and our allies.

• Murdering American citizens: Hezbollah has killed hundreds of Americans — more than any terror group besides al-Qaeda.
• Global terrorist threat: Hezbollah has also carried out attacks on targets around the world, including in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, killing more than 120 people.
• Threats to our homeland: In 2023, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated, “FBI arrests in recent years also indicate that Hezbollah has tried to seed operatives, establish infrastructure, and engage in spying here domestically — raising our concern that they may be contingency planning for future operations in the United States.”

West Bank: Palestinian terrorists from the West Bank have murdered Americans and Israelis for many decades, receiving payments for these attacks through the Palestinian Authority’s pay-for-slay program.

• Destabilizing U.S.-ally Jordan: Iranian-backed threats emanating from the West Bank, and Iranian weapons smuggling into Jordan, directly threaten the stability of our ally Jordan.
• Attacks on Americans: Terror attacks — including bombings, stabbings and shootings, many claimed by Hamas — within and emanating from the West Bank have killed many American citizens, including Eitam Henkin in 2015, Taylor Force in 2016, and Ari Fuld in 2018.

Syria: Iranian-backed proxies in Syria repeatedly attack American troops, American bases and American allies.

• Supporting the Assad regime: Iranian-backed forces initially entered Syria to support the brutal Assad regime, which has committed atrocities against civilians and kidnapped and killed American citizens.
• Attacks on U.S. forces: Iranian-backed proxies have carried out more than 77 attacks on bases housing American forces in Syria since October 7, injuring American troops.

Iraq: Iranian-backed terrorists in Iraq threaten and undermine the Iraqi government and have conducted countless attacks on U.S. troops and allies.

• Attacks on Americans: Iranian-backed forces in Iraq have launched more than 50 attacks on American troops and allies since October 7, including an attack in Jordan that killed three American troops. In December 2019, Kata’ib Hezbollah — an Iranian terror proxy — attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq, following an attack earlier that month that killed an American contractor and injured four U.S. servicemembers.
• Destabilizing Iraq: Iranian-backed forces have worked to infiltrate and destabilize the American-supported Iraqi government, coopting Iraqi institutions to serve Iran’s aims.

Yemen: The Houthis use Iranian weapons, training and intelligence to carry out attacks on U.S. Navy ships, American allies and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, significantly disrupting one of the wo

• Hostage-taking: The Houthi terrorists have kidnapped American citizens and other foreign nationals in Yemen and are currently holding dozens hostage.
• Attacks on shipping: The Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels from over 55 nations transiting the Red Sea, decreasing the maritime traffic there by 90% since October 7.
• Attacks on U.S. forces: U.S. operations against the Houthis are the most intense running sea battle the Navy has faced since World War II, and U.S. Navy vessels have fended off dozens of drones and ballistic missiles launched by the terror group. The Houthis have also shot down multiple U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones worth hundreds of millions of dollars.