US: Iran aided terror attacks in Bahrain

Washington : Labelling Iran the world’s top government sponsor of terrorism, the US State Department has said that Tehran had provided weapons, funds, and training to Bahraini groups that carried out attacks on the Bahraini security forces. 

On January 6, 2016, Bahraini security officials dismantled a terrorist cell, linked to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which was planning to carry out a series of bombings throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain, the US State Department  said  in its ‘Country Reports on Terrorism 2016’  released  on Wednesday.

“Iran used the IRGC-QF to implement foreign policy goals, provide cover for intelligence operations, and create instability in the Middle East,” the report said. 

“Iran has acknowledged the involvement of the IRGC-QF in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria and the IRGC-QF is Iran’s primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorists abroad,” the report said. 

In 2016, Iran supported various Iraqi terrorist groups, including Kata’ib Hezbollah, as part of an effort to bolster the Assad regime in Syria.

“Iran views the Assad regime in Syria as a crucial ally and Syria and Iraq as crucial routes to supply weapons to Hezbollah, Iran’s primary terrorist partner. Iran has facilitated and coerced, through financial or residency enticements, primarily fighters from Afghanistan and Pakistan to participate in the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown in Syria,” the report said.

“Iranian-supported militias in Iraq have committed serious human rights abuses against civilians and Iranian forces have directly backed militia operations in Syria with armoured vehicles, artillery, and drones,” the report said.

The Iranian government maintains a robust cyber terrorism programme and has sponsored cyber attacks against foreign government and private sector entities, the report said. 

“Iran remained unwilling to bring to justice senior Al Qaida members it continued to detain and has refused to publicly identify the members in its custody. Since at least 2009, Iran has allowed Al Qaida facilitators to operate a core facilitation pipeline through the country, enabling Al Qaida to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria,” the report said.