[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
AN EXAMINATION OF THE IRANIAN REGIME'S
THREATS TO HOMELAND SECURITY
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
OCTOBER 25, 2023
__________
Serial No. 118-35
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
56-311 PDF WASHINGTON : 2024
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Mark E. Green, MD, Tennessee, Chairman
Michael T. McCaul, Texas Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi,
Clay Higgins, Louisiana Ranking Member
Michael Guest, Mississippi Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Dan Bishop, North Carolina Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey
Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida Eric Swalwell, California
August Pfluger, Texas J. Luis Correa, California
Andrew R. Garbarino, New York Troy A. Carter, Louisiana
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Shri Thanedar, Michigan
Tony Gonzales, Texas Seth Magaziner, Rhode Island
Nick LaLota, New York Glenn Ivey, Maryland
Mike Ezell, Mississippi Daniel S. Goldman, New York
Anthony D'Esposito, New York Robert Garcia, California
Laurel M. Lee, Florida Delia C. Ramirez, Illinois
Morgan Luttrell, Texas Robert Menendez, New Jersey
Dale W. Strong, Alabama Yvette D. Clarke, New York
Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma Dina Titus, Nevada
Elijah Crane, Arizona
Stephen Siao, Staff Director
Hope Goins, Minority Staff Director
Sean Corcoran, Chief Clerk
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Statements
The Honorable Mark E. Green, a Representative in Congress From
the State of Tennessee, and Chairman, Committee on Homeland
Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 1
Prepared Statement............................................. 4
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Ranking Member, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 5
Prepared Statement............................................. 7
The Honorable August Pfluger, a Representative in Congress From
the State of Texas............................................. 8
The Honorable Seth Magaziner, a Representative in Congress From
the State of Rhode Island...................................... 11
Witnesses
Hon. Nathan A. Sales, Private Citizen:
Oral Statement................................................. 15
Prepared Statement............................................. 17
Ms. Masih Alinejad, Private Citizen:
Oral Statement................................................. 24
Prepared Statement............................................. 26
Mr. Robert Greenway, Director, Heritage Foundation, Center for
National Defense:
Oral Statement................................................. 28
Prepared Statement............................................. 29
Mr. Thomas S. Warrick, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic
Council, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative:
Oral Statement................................................. 37
Prepared Statement............................................. 39
For the Record
The Honorable Eric Swalwell, a Representative in Congress From
the State of California:
Deleted Tweets, Heritage Foundation............................ 76
AN EXAMINATION OF THE IRANIAN REGIME'S THREATS TO HOMELAND SECURITY
----------
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:02 a.m., in
room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Mark E. Green
(Chairman of the committee) presiding.
Present: Representatives Green, Guest, Bishop, Gimenez,
Pfluger, Garbarino, Greene, Gonzales, Ezell, D'Esposito, Lee,
Strong, Brecheen, Crane, Thompson, Jackson Lee, Swalwell,
Carter, Thanedar, Magaziner, Ivey, Goldman, Ramirez, Menendez,
Clarke, and Titus.
Chairman Green. The Committee on Homeland Security will
come to order. Without objection, the Chair may declare the
committee in recess at any point.
Without objection, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on
Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, Mr.
Pfluger, and the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, Mr.
Magaziner, will be afforded 5 minutes each to make opening
statements.
The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on the
threats posed by the Iranian regime to the homeland. I now
recognize myself for an opening statement.
There is no doubt that the Iranian regime poses a
significant threat to the United States homeland and to our
allies. This threat is real, and it is growing. Tehran
continues to furnish weapons, funding, and training to its
surrogates across the globe who engage in heinous acts of
terror.
On October 7 of this year, which coincided with the 50th
anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, the world witnessed the
horrific and grotesque atrocities that occurred in Israel.
Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization, backed by the
Iranian regime, launched this deadly, multipronged land, air,
and sea attack inside Israel, with terrorists infiltrating
Israel's southern border and firing thousands of rockets from
Gaza.
Over 1,400 Israelis were killed with a significant number
being innocent civilians, women, children, and the elderly.
More than 2,800 Israelis have been wounded, including some in
critical condition.
At least 32 Americans were killed in Israel and an unknown
number of Americans are also being held as hostages by Hamas.
The sheer brutality of these acts of terror is horrific.
It's hard to watch the videos. Hamas terrorists hunted down
hundreds of young people innocently celebrating at a music
festival to murder and rape them.
They killed a grandmother and then used her phone to post
her murder on her own Facebook page. They murdered a young man
and his girlfriend, filmed the murder on the man's phone, and
texted the barbaric video to his mother.
They raped and murdered women and then paraded their bodies
in the streets. These monsters murdered and burned helpless
babies. They massacred whole families. These innocent people
were killed for merely living in the State of Israel and being
Jewish.
Let me be clear to anyone who is listening, Hamas isn't
motivated by some territorial dispute. Much like Nazi Germany,
these terrorists are driven by a deep hatred of the Jewish
people.
Their stated goal, as mentioned in their charter, is the
annihilation of the State of Israel and the extinction of the
Jewish people, as we are currently seeing, Hamas routinely uses
civilians, women and children, as human shields.
The whole world must see and hear exactly what happened.
It is disgusting and appalling that so many apologists have
not condemned these barbaric acts of terror. I've been shocked
at the horrifying antisemitism being displayed in some of our
cities, on our college campuses, and even in the halls of
Congress.
Anything but a complete condemnation of Hamas and their
brutal atrocities is unacceptable.
We must stand with the State of Israel and give our
unwavering support as Israel defends itself against the heinous
attacks by Hamas.
We also must condemn the forces behind Hamas--the Iranian
regime. The Iranian regime is the muscle and the money
empowering this reign of terror. For years the Iranian regime
has provided financial, military, political, and diplomatic
support to varies proxies including Hamas.
They use these terrorist groups to attack Israel and
Americans and our interests across the globe, even in our own
backyard.
The Iranian regime and its surrogates maintain a presence
in the Western Hemisphere.
Just this year the Iranian Navy docked warships in Rio de
Janeiro, and the regime held high-level meetings in the
capitals of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah also maintains a presence in the
region. The terror group has operated throughout South America
for decades and has carried out attacks on Israeli targets in
Argentina.
Hezbollah has also worked closely with the drug cartels in
Latin America to traffic drugs across the globe and launder
money for these transnational criminal organizations.
These threats are closer than most Americans realize, and
that's because of our porous Southwest Border.
Under President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, the volume of
known gotaways crossing our border has skyrocketed and so has
the number of individuals who appear on the known or suspected
terrorist watchlist, and the number of special interest aliens
which are people from countries identified as having conditions
that promote and protect terrorism or possibly present a
national security threat to this country.
I'm extremely concerned that terrorists will exploit these
glaring vulnerabilities at our Southwest Border to attempt
attacks inside the United States.
Just a few weeks ago, one human smuggling group, with
significant ties to ISIS moved Uzbeki nationals into the United
States, and some of these individuals smuggled into our country
still remain at large. This should concern every single one of
us.
This administration's policies and its misguided decisions
have appeased tyrants and created significant national security
vulnerabilities.
The Biden administration's display of weakness on the world
stage, from the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, weak
posture toward Russia before the invasion of Ukraine, to
reckless negotiations with Iran, threatens our homeland
security and our national interests.
History is clear. Appeasement doesn't work. While the Biden
administration was busy cutting deals with the Iranian regimes,
Hamas was preparing for its attacks.
Kowtowing to tyrants and their proxies is always a mistake.
This administration is continuing to repeat the same mistakes
of the past.
The Trump administration was right to remove the United
States from the flawed Iran nuclear deal and to reimpose
sanctions. It was also right to eliminate Qasim Soleimani, who
is responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds
of U.S. troops in Iraq--my friends.
These decisive actions told the Iranian regime that real
consequences come when you threaten the United States. That
message has been lost under this administration, and our
adversaries know it.
As I indicated at the onset, the Iranian regime's threats
to the homeland are real and are growing. They have sought to
conduct cyber attacks on our State and local governments and
private industry.
The regime continues to pursue an opportunistic approach to
cyber warfare, which makes the United States' and our allies'
critical infrastructure susceptible to that attack.
They've plotted to target and assassinate individuals
inside the United States, including former Trump officials.
They've also sought to abduct or assassinate Iranians living in
the United States who are critical of their regime such as
Masih Alinejad, an Iranian American journalist testifying
before the committee today.
The Iranian regime is becoming more determined and more
adept in its malicious activity. We must remain vigilant.
Now I'd like to deviate for a second from my script and
just say to the Iranian people who are freedom-loving: we know
of your suffering, and you are in our prayers.
Thank you all and I want to thank our witnesses for being
here this morning. I look forward to your unvarnished
testimony, your objective perspective about the threats of
Iranian regime poses, and what actions we need to take to
counter these threats.
[The statement of Chairman Green follows:]
Statement of Chairman Mark Green
October 25, 2023
There is no doubt that the Iranian regime poses a significant
threat to the United States homeland and our allies.
This threat is real and growing.
Tehran continues to furnish weapons, funding, and training to its
surrogates across the globe who engage in heinous acts of terror.
On October 7 of this year, which coincided with the 50th
anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, the world witnessed the horrific and
grotesque atrocities that occurred in Israel.
Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization backed by the Iranian
regime, launched this deadly multi-pronged land, air, and sea attack
inside Israel, with terrorists infiltrating Israel's southern border
and firing thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip.
Over 1,400 Israelis were killed, with a significant number being
innocent civilians--women, children, and the elderly.
More than 2,800 Israelis have been wounded, including some in
critical condition.
At least 32 Americans were killed in Israel. An unknown number of
Americans are also being held hostage by Hamas terrorists as we speak.
The sheer brutality of these acts of terror is horrific.
Hamas terrorists hunted down hundreds of young people innocently
celebrating at a music festival to murder and rape them.
They killed a grandmother and then used her phone to post her
murder on her Facebook page.
They murdered a young man and his girlfriend, filmed the murder on
the man's phone, and texted the barbaric video to his mother.
They raped and murdered women and then paraded their bodies in the
streets.
These monsters murdered and burned helpless babies.
They massacred whole families.
These innocent people were killed for merely living in the State of
Israel and being Jewish.
Let me be clear to anyone who is listening: Hamas isn't motivated
by a territorial dispute. Much like Nazi Germany, these terrorists are
driven by a deep hatred for the Jewish people. Their stated goal, as
mentioned in their charter, is the annihilation of the State of Israel
and the extinction of the Jewish people.
As we are currently seeing, Hamas routinely uses civilians--women
and children--as human shields.
The whole world must see and hear exactly what happened.
It is disgusting and appalling that so many apologists have not
condemned these barbaric acts of terror.
I have been shocked at the horrifying antisemitism being displayed
in some of our cities, on our college campuses, and even in the halls
of Congress.
Anything but a complete condemnation of Hamas' brutal atrocities is
unacceptable.
We must stand with the State of Israel and give our unwavering
support as Israel defends itself against the heinous attacks by Hamas.
We also must condemn the force behind Hamas--the Iranian regime.
The Iranian regime is the muscle and the money empowering this
reign of terror.
For years, the Iranian regime has provided financial, military,
political, and diplomatic support to various proxies, including Hamas.
They use these terrorist groups to attack Israeli and American
citizens and interests across the globe, including in our own backyard.
The Iranian regime and its surrogates maintain a presence in the
Western Hemisphere. Just this year, the Iranian navy docked warships in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the regime held high-level meetings in the
capitals of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah also maintains a presence in the region.
The terror group has operated throughout South America for decades and
has carried out attacks on Israeli targets in Argentina.
Hezbollah has also worked closely with drug cartels in Latin
America to traffic drugs across the globe and launder money for these
transnational criminal organizations.
These threats are closer than most Americans realize. And that's
because of our porous Southwest Border.
Under President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, the volume of known
gotaways crossing our border has skyrocketed. So has the number of
individuals who appear on the known or suspected terrorist watch list
and the number of Special Interest Aliens, which are people from
countries identified as having conditions that promote or protect
terrorism or possibly present a national security threat to our
country.
I am extremely concerned that terrorists will exploit these glaring
vulnerabilities at our Southwest Border to attempt attacks inside the
homeland.
Just a few weeks ago, one human smuggling group with significant
ties to ISIS moved Uzbek nationals into the United States. Some of the
individuals smuggled into the country are still at large.
This should concern every single one of us.
This administration's policies and its misguided decisions have
appeased tyrants and created significant national security
vulnerabilities.
The Biden administration's display of weakness on the world stage--
from the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, weak posture toward
Russia before the invasion of Ukraine, to reckless negotiations with
Iran--threatens our homeland security and our national interests.
History is clear; appeasement doesn't work. While the Biden
administration was busy cutting deals with the Iranian regime, Hamas
was preparing for its attack. Kowtowing to tyrants and their proxies is
always a mistake.
This administration is continuing to repeat the mistakes of the
past.
The Trump administration was right to remove the United States from
the flawed Iran nuclear deal and to reimpose sanctions.
It was also right to eliminate Qassem Soleimani, who was
responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of U.S.
troops in Iraq.
These decisive actions told the Iranian regime that real
consequences come when you threaten the United States and our allies.
That message has been lost under the Biden administration, and our
adversaries know it.
As I indicated at the outset, the Iranian regime's threats to the
homeland are real and growing.
They have sought to conduct cyber attacks on our State and local
governments and private industry.
The regime continues to pursue an opportunistic approach to cyber
warfare, which makes the United States and our allies' critical
infrastructure susceptible to attack.
They have plotted to target and assassinate individuals in the
United States, including former Trump administration officials.
They have also sought to abduct or assassinate Iranians living in
the United States who are critical of their regime, such as Masih
Alinejad, an Iranian American journalist testifying before the
committee this morning.
The Iranian regime is becoming more determined and more adept in
its malicious activity.
We must remain vigilant.
Thank you to all our witnesses for being with us this morning.
I look forward to your unvarnished and objective perspective about
the threats the Iranian regime poses, and what actions we can take to
counter those threats.
Chairman Green. I now recognize the Ranking Member, the
gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Thompson, for his opening
statement.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you very much. Good morning to our
witnesses. We're glad to have you.
As we begin today's hearing on Iran's threat to our
homeland, I want to express my deepest condolences in the wake
of the horrific terrorist attack in Israel.
On October 7, Hamas, a proxy of the Iranian regime,
tragically slaughtered more than 1,400 men, women, and
children, including at least 30 Americans.
We pray for them and their loved ones. We also pray for the
innocent civilians who have died in Gaza and are mindful of the
humanitarian crisis there.
As I said, in the immediate aftermath of the heinous
attacks, the United States condemns Hamas' actions and stand in
total solidarity with Israel against terror.
Since the attacks, President Biden and his administration
have shown true leadership, not just words but action,
demonstrating ironclad support for Israel.
The President has deployed two aircraft carrier groups to
the Eastern Mediterranean and sent Secretary of Defense Lloyd
Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to the region to
signal strong support for Israel's security and engage in
critical diplomacy.
The President himself traveled to Israel to reaffirm the
United States' commitment to Israel's security. He's also made
clear he has no higher priority than getting back the Americans
who went missing in the attacks.
Unfortunately, as the Biden administration has worked to
support Israel, bring Americans home from the conflict zone,
prevent a wider war in the region, and address the humanitarian
crisis in Gaza, the House of Representatives has been AWOL.
Because of their failure to elect a Speaker, for the last 22
days, the House has been unable to conduct any legislative
business.
I thank our witnesses for coming back to this hearing. I
know you were here last week. Some flew in from California, but
such as it is, maybe we'll have that issue resolved today. I
hope so. We need to get on with the business.
We haven't even been able to pass a bipartisan resolution
in support of Israel, of which I am a cosponsor, authored by
Mr. McCaul and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Meeks.
Some of my colleagues on the other side have acknowledged
this extraordinary, troubling situation. The former Chairman of
this committee, Mr. McCaul, who currently chairs the Committee
on Foreign Affairs recently said, and I quote: ``I look at the
world and all the threats that are out there and what kind of a
message are we sending to our adversaries when we can't govern,
when we are dysfunctional, when we don't even have a Speaker of
the House.''
I agree with Mr. McCaul. He is correct about Republican
dysfunction and the message it sends to our adversaries around
the world.
Unfortunately, Republicans are trying to deflect attention
from their own in-fighting by criticizing the Biden
administration. For example, we've heard misleading statements
about the administration giving Iran access to $6 billion in
Iranian assets currently held in Qatari accounts.
The truth is not a penny of that money has been released,
and the Biden administration and the Qatari government have
agreed to block Iran from accessing it.
Republicans are also engaging in fearmongering about Hamas-
affiliated individuals at our Southwest Border.
The truth is CBP has confirmed that no indication of Hamas-
directed foreign fighters trying to enter the United States.
I hope that Congressional Republicans will stop their
politically-motivated criticism of the administration and
instead focus their energy on electing a Speaker so the House
can pass legislation to help the people of Israel and
strengthen the U.S. national security.
There is much to be done, as Iran and other adversaries
like Russia, North Korea, and China continue to pose serious
threats to the United States.
As we examine Iran's threat to the homeland today, I'm
concerned about targeted terror attacks from Iran and its
proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah. Terrorism-related concerns
about Iran are well-founded.
According to the U.S. State Department, Iran is the largest
state sponsor of terrorism. The Iranian regime is implicated in
assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more
than 40 countries since 1979, including several plots or
attempted attacks in the United States against Americans.
I'm also concerned about the Iranian regime's cyber threats
to the homeland. According to the U.S. intelligence community's
2023 Annual Threat Assessment, and I quote, ``Iran's growing
expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber
operations make it a major threat to the security of the U.S.
and to allied networks and data.''
I'm particularly concerned about Iran's opportunistic
approach to cyber attacks and whether U.S. critical
infrastructure is susceptible for targeting by this regime.
To discuss these issues today, I'm grateful we have Mr.
Thomas Warrick on our witness panel. Mr. Warrick has 40 years
of experience addressing threats from Iran, including more than
a decade at the Department of Homeland Security dedicated to
counterterrorism efforts.
I look forward to hearing his assessment of the most
significant threats to the homeland from Iran and steps
Congress should take to address these threats.
I thank the entire panel for joining us today.
Mr. Chairman, in closing, I want to say that I hope
Republicans can overcome their chaos and dysfunction so that we
can return to regular order and resume the work the American
people sent us here to do. It's long overdue.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
[The statement of Ranking Member Thompson follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson
October 25, 2023
As we begin today's hearing on Iran's threats to our homeland, I
want to express my deepest condolences in the wake of the horrific
terrorist attacks in Israel.
On October 7, Hamas, a proxy of the Iranian regime, tragically
slaughtered more than 1,400 men, women, and children--including at
least 30 Americans. We pray for them and their loved ones. We also pray
for the innocent civilians who have died in Gaza and are mindful of the
humanitarian crisis there. As I said in the immediate aftermath of the
heinous attacks, the United States condemns Hamas' actions and stands
in total solidarity with Israel against terror.
Since the attacks, President Biden and his administration have
shown true leadership, not just with words but with action,
demonstrating ironclad support for Israel. The President has deployed
two aircraft carrier groups to the eastern Mediterranean and sent
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken
to the region to signal strong support for Israel's security and engage
in critical diplomacy. The President, himself, traveled to Israel to
reaffirm the United States' commitment to Israel's security. He has
also made clear he has no higher priority than getting back the
Americans who went missing in the attacks.
Unfortunately, as the Biden administration has worked to support
Israel, bring Americans home from the conflict zone, prevent a wider
war in the region, and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, House
Republicans have been AWOL. Because of their failure to elect a Speaker
for the last 22 days, the House has been unable to conduct any
legislative business. We haven't even been able to pass a bipartisan
resolution support of Israel--of which I am a cosponsor--authored by
Mr. McCaul and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Meeks.
Some of my colleagues on the other side have acknowledged this
extraordinarily troubling situation. The former Chairman of this
Committee, Mr. McCaul, who currently chairs the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, recently said, and I quote:
``I look at the world and all the threats that are out there, and what
kind of message are we sending to our adversaries when we can't govern,
when we're dysfunctional, when we don't even have a Speaker of the
House.''
I agree with Mr. McCaul--he is correct about Republican dysfunction
and the message it sends to our adversaries around the world.
Unfortunately, Republicans are trying to deflect attention from
their own infighting by criticizing the Biden administration. For
example, we have heard misleading statements about the administration
giving Iran access to $6 billion in Iranian assets currently held in
Qatari accounts.
The truth is, not a penny of that money has been released, and the
Biden administration and the Qatari government have agreed to block
Iran from accessing it. Republicans are also engaging in fearmongering
about Hamas-affiliated individuals at our Southwest Border. The truth
is, CBP has confirmed it has no indication of Hamas-directed foreign
fighters trying to enter the United States.
I hope that Congressional Republicans will stop their politically-
motivated criticism of the administration and instead focus their
energy on electing a Speaker, so the House can pass legislation to help
the people of Israel and strengthen U.S. national security. There is
much to be done, as Iran and other adversaries like Russia, North
Korea, and China continue to pose serious threats to the United States.
As we examine Iran's threats to the homeland today, I am concerned
about targeted terror attacks from Iran and its proxies, like Hamas and
Hizballah. Terrorism-related concerns about Iran are well-founded.
According to the U.S. State Department, Iran is the largest state
sponsor of terrorism. The Iranian regime has been implicated in
assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more than 40
countries since 1979--including several plots or attempted attacks in
the United States against Americans.
I am also concerned about the Iranian regime's cyber threat to the
homeland. According to the U.S. Intelligence Community's 2023 Annual
Threat Assessment, and I quote:
``Iran's growing expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber
operations make it a major threat to the security of U.S. and allied
networks and data.''
I am particularly concerned about Iran's opportunistic approach to
cyber attacks and whether U.S. critical infrastructure is susceptible
for targeting by the regime.
To discuss these issues today, I am grateful we have Mr. Thomas
Warrick on the witness panel. Mr. Warrick has 40 years of experience
addressing threats from Iran, including more than a decade at the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to counterterrorism efforts.
I look forward to hearing his assessment of the most significant
threats to the homeland from Iran and the steps Congress should take to
address those threats. I thank the entire panel for joining us today.
In closing, I want to say that I hope Republicans can overcome
their chaos and dysfunction so we can return to regular order and
resume the work the American people sent us here to do. It's long
overdue.
Chairman Green. I thank the Ranking Member for his
statement.
I now recognize the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Pfluger, for
his opening statement.
Mr. Pfluger. Well, thank you, Chairman Green, for holding
this important hearing, for bringing us together with experts
that have long advocated for strength and have long advocated
for a policy of deterrence and not appeasement.
This hearing, unfortunately, is occurring in the aftermath,
after a heinous terrorist attack on our ally, our strongest
ally, in the Middle East--Israel.
What we witnessed on the tragic morning of October 7, was
nothing short of barbaric and horrible. It was the deadliest
day since the creation of the State of Israel 75 years ago, and
it was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Israelis, Americans, and other foreign nationals died. Many
were injured, and others continue to be held hostage and their
whereabouts are unknown.
At least 32 Americans were killed in this attack. Let me
repeat that: At least 32 Americans were killed in this attack,
which makes October 7 the worst attack on Americans by
international terrorism since 9/11.
More Americans were killed on October 7 than in the attacks
on Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996, the USS Cole in 2000,
the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in 1983, or the embassies in East
Africa in 1998.
What happened on October 7 was sickening. These evil and
twisted Hamas terrorists, a foreign terrorist organization
supported by the Iranian regime, who carried out this cruel and
indiscriminate attack that targeted innocent women, babies,
children, the elderly, and the entire Jewish population.
These attacks should be universally and unequivocally
condemned by all, and unfortunately that has not happened.
It's absolutely appalling to see mass gatherings
celebrating the loss of life that took place that heartbreaking
morning. These gatherings are nothing more than an attempt to
not only whitewash the gruesome attacks but also to deny what
transpired on that morning and to push a narrative that could
not be further from the truth.
New York Mayor Eric Adams recently said: We are not all
right when Hamas believes that they are fighting on behalf of
something and their destructive despicable action that carried
out. We are not all right when we still have hostages who have
not come home to their family. We are not all right, and we're
not going to say we have a stiff upper lip and act like
everything is fine. Everything is not fine. Israel has a right
to defend itself, and that's the right that we know.
I applaud him for saying those words. The hateful rhetoric
spewed at these gatherings have created an environment that has
left Jewish communities isolated and concerned about their
sense of safety and security. We must make it clear that every
American has a right to live peacefully and securely in this
Nation.
In addition to horrific images from Israel that we have
seen should invoke the raw emotions that many Americans felt in
the fight against terrorism. It's a solemn reminder and
especially on this committee that was formed and created to
help ensure that another attack like 9/11 never occurs again on
our homeland.
As I reflect on the recent tragedy that has unfolded in
Israel, I cannot help but remember how the 9/11 Commission
report explained that a contributing factor as to why we missed
the threat indicators to foresee an attack on our Nation was
due to a lack of imagination from our intelligence agencies and
national security experts.
No one in our Government could even remotely think that
someone would use a commercial airliner as a missile. Yet we
saw four commercial jets utilized on that morning of 9/11. When
you think you've seen it all, violent extremists are there to
prove you wrong.
Like before 9/11, none of us could imagine that terrorists
would fly across the southern border on paragliders and
slaughter innocent civilians celebrating life at a music
festival.
Yet these terrorists bulldozed and blew holes through
concrete barriers, and thousands of terrorists ran through with
little to no effort to begin their brutal assault.
These attacks, unfortunately, have taught the world that
violent Islamic terrorists are continuing to exploit
vulnerabilities in the most ingenious ways. We must not lose
sight of this reality, and we have to acknowledge the threats
posed by these groups.
We must also recognize that these threats pose a
significant danger to the United States as well. Our border is
far less secure than Israel's. I know this because I personally
led efforts to help promote the development of border
technology between our two nations.
The fact that even the most advanced technology could not
stop these atrocities from taking place in Israel should keep
us up at night here. Our Nation has seen a record number of
individuals encountered who have either appeared on the known
or suspected terrorist watchlist or individuals designated as
special interest aliens.
Just this year, over 150 people, that we know about, have
been encountered at the Southern Border that match the terror
watchlist. President Biden must reverse course on his failed
Iran policy. Appeasement does not work. We do not negotiate
with terrorists.
We know first-hand that the Iranian regime has tried to
exploit weaknesses in our Southwest Border. Surely there is a
risk that terrorists, including those backed by the Iranian
regime, could take advantage of the glaring vulnerabilities and
conduct attacks right here in our homeland.
If we continue to remain naive about the security posture
at our Southwest Border, then we are bound to suffer the
catastrophic consequences that we just saw in Israel.
The threat warnings and indicators from terrorist attacks
in Israel should serve as a wake-up call to our Nation and make
us realize that these dangers are present, that they are real.
We must secure our Southwest Border immediately.
I would also be remiss if I did not highlight the fact that
the Iranian regime is actively targeting Americans here on our
soil. They have the desire, and I think they have proven,
through the green-lighting of Hamas, that they have the
capacity.
The regime has attempted multiple times to silence or exact
revenge on government officials and private citizens who speak
out against the regime's brutality, and I think we'll hear
about that today.
Multiple witnesses today have experienced this
transnational repression first-hand, and I look forward to
hearing that.
Last, we must also recognize that authoritarian regimes
like China, like the Chinese Communist Party, and like Russia
are working to advance their strategic goals throughout the
Middle East.
The Biden administration has failed to lead on the global
stage time and time again, and we have demonstrated time and
time again, through the administration's failed policies, to
malign actors that talk is cheap, and that we will not----
Mr. Ivey. Mr. Chairman, point of order?
Voice. It's an opening statement----
Chairman Green. Sure. He's making an opening statement.
There's no time limit on an opening statement.
Mr. Pfluger. If you read the conference rules----
Mr. Ivey. Very well.
Mr. Pfluger [continuing]. If you read our committee rules,
then you'd know that opening statements can go over 5 minutes.
Voice. Go ahead----
Mr. Ivey. Very well.
Mr. Pfluger. Time and time again, we have demonstrated to
malign actors that our talk is cheap and that we will not take
the hard work necessary to deter evil influences.
We must use our leadership to reject these narratives and
put on notice those who would rather sympathize with terrorists
and refuse to condemn the worst attack against the Jewish
people since the Holocaust.
I hope that our Nation comes together and supports our
indispensable ally, Israel, and the Jewish communities across
the globe grieving during these trying times.
We must also continue to work to rid the world of hateful
and antisemitic ideology, and I'm calling on my colleagues on
the other side of the aisle to do just that, because there are
9 people in this Congress who have refused to do that, 9 people
who wouldn't go to the floor to vote on a resolution supporting
our greatest ally, Israel, that intend to vote against that
resolution supporting Israel, that voted against a resolution
earlier this summer, saying that Israel was not an apartheid
nation, that Israel was not a racist nation, and that, in fact,
Israel was our greatest ally.
I'm calling on you all to help bring us together to condemn
terrorist attacks regardless of who commits them. The security
and safety for Jewish people and the State of Israel are
nonnegotiable.
Mr. Chairman, the only strategy that works is peace through
strength. The failed policies of the Obama administration, with
a weak nuclear deal, the failed policies of appeasement,
delivering cash, allowing oil sanctions and other sanctions to
expire, have set the stage for where we are today.
The Biden administration must reverse course, and it starts
with rhetoric, and it's followed by policy. I hope that this
committee and this hearing today can let the American people
know that we do not and will not allow terrorists to control
the narrative, and that we will use peace through strength.
I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields, and I thank him for
his opening statement.
I now recognize the gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr.
Magaziner, for his opening statement.
Mr. Magaziner. Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Thompson, I
want to thank you for convening today's hearing.
The topic, the Iranian regime's threats to Homeland
Security, is both timely and important. The Iranian regime is a
danger to global stability and our own homeland security. It is
the world's most prolific supporter of terrorism and determined
to harm the United States and our allies.
Today we have an opportunity to explore exactly how Iran
and its proxies seek to carry out their destructive ambitions
and to move toward meaningful bipartisan actions to counter and
contain them.
This hearing comes at an important moment. Earlier this
month, on October 7, an Iranian-backed terrorist group, Hamas,
launched a gruesome attack against civilians in Israel.
These brutal terrorists murdered innocent civilians. They
slaughtered hundreds of young people at a music festival. They
kidnapped Holocaust survivors and children and U.S. citizens.
Make no mistake, as President Biden said, the United States
of America stands firmly and unequivocally with Israel and
against the evil that is Hamas.
This terrorist organization is a threat not just to Israel
but also to the United States and our allies across the world.
Iran and its proxies present a clear and present danger to
our homeland security, and we must identify ways that the
United States can ensure the safety of our citizens abroad and
here at home.
Iran has attempted to conduct multiple assassinations on
U.S. soil, including of U.S. persons. Multiple plots
orchestrated by Iran have been dismantled in recent years,
including an attempted bombing of a restaurant right here in
Washington, DC.
Perhaps the most commonly-used tactic by the Iranian regime
is cyber warfare, as they seek to target U.S. businesses and
infrastructure and government agencies with disruptive attacks.
They and their proxies, like Hamas, are adept at using the
internet to incite people to violence in Israel, in the United
States, and elsewhere. We know that individuals on-line
supporting violence against both the Jewish community and the
Muslim community here in the United States are being
manipulated by Iran and its proxies to conduct acts of violence
here in the United States.
This is reprehensible, and we must redouble our efforts to
combat terrorist organizations' ability to radicalize
individuals here at home in the United States through the
internet.
I'll just say on a personal note, as a person of Jewish
heritage, as someone who has experienced antisemitism and who
just a few weeks ago, we had a bomb threat at the largest
synagogue in my city that I live in, in Rhode Island.
Thankfully the individual who called in that bomb threat was
arrested.
I get chills when I hear the rhetoric being used by those
who are seeking to commit acts of violence against Jewish
people in the United States and around the world, the same
chills that I felt on that day when White supremacists marched
in Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting: Jews will not replace
us.
President Trump got up at the end of that day and said that
there were fine people on both sides.
So, if we are going to call out antisemitism, if we're
going to call out domestic violent extremism and the incitement
of violence, yes, let's be prepared to do it everywhere. Let's
not make this a partisan exercise but an American one.
We must also work to prevent the targeting of American
dissidents here in the United States.
Ms. Alinejad, thank you for being here today. I know that,
each time you speak out, and particularly in Congress, you put
yourself at great risk. But your story is one that the American
people need to hear.
I am deeply troubled that the Iranian regime has the
audacity to continue to try to reach inside the United States
to harm you and other people, including a former Secretary of
State, who live freely in this country.
But your presence here today demonstrates that their
efforts will only redouble ours in resisting any acts of
political assassination or violence on U.S. soil. We owe it to
you and all the victims of the Iranian regime, including in
Israel and Gaza, to set aside politics and work together in a
bipartisan manner to contain and counter the Iranian regime and
its proxies.
Congress must also work to ensure the Iranian regime's
reach never reaches our homeland to bring harm to our own
people.
The U.S. and Israel's intelligence and counterintelligence
efforts failed to detect and prevent the attack that ensued on
October 7. As a country, we need assurances that there will not
be another intelligence failure that has the capacity to harm
Americans either abroad or in our own homeland.
That means empowering the Department of Homeland Security's
intelligence enterprise, as Mr. Warrick notes in his written
testimony, and ensuring that DHS has the full capacity
necessary, with appropriate privacy and civil rights and civil
liberties checks, to gather intelligence on Iranian activities
and other security threats here in the United States homeland.
It means ensuring that fusion centers are equipped to share
intelligence with State, local, Tribal, and territorial law
enforcement who are on the ground protecting American
communities, and it means making sure that no one in this
country is harmed simply because they dare to speak out against
the Iranian regime.
I know my Democratic colleagues and I are prepared to work
with anyone who is serious about making our country safer,
freer, and more open. I look forward to hearing from our
witnesses, and I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields, and I thank him for
his statement, and I thank him for his heart. That was obvious.
Other Members of the committee are reminded that opening
statements may be submitted for the record. I'm pleased to have
an important panel of witnesses before us today, and I ask that
our witnesses please rise and raise their right hand.
[Witnesses sworn.]
Chairman Green. Let the record reflect that the witnesses
have answered in the affirmative. Thank you. You may be seated.
I would now like to formally introduce our witnesses.
Ambassador Nathan Sales is the founder and principal of
Fillmore Global Strategies, a consultancy firm that provides
legal and strategic advisory services on matters surrounding
law, policy, and diplomacy. He is also a nonresident fellow at
the Atlantic Council, a member of the advisory board at the
Vandenberg Coalition, and a senior adviser at The Soufan Group.
Ambassador Sales is a former Government official who served
in various senior positions at the U.S. Department of State. He
was the coordinator for counterterrorism and special envoy to
the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, in charge for leading and
coordinating U.S. efforts to counter terrorism and violent
extremism worldwide.
He also served as the acting under secretary for the
civilian security, democracy, and human rights, managing nine
bureaus and offices that advance U.S. interests on issues such
as human rights, rule of law, conflict prevention, and
countering transnational threats.
Prior to joining the State Department, Ambassador Sales was
a tenured law professor at Syracuse University College of Law,
where he taught and wrote on national security law,
counterterrorism law, constitutional law, and administrative
law.
He also worked as a lawyer at Kirkland & Ellis and as a
deputy assistant secretary for policy at the Department of
Homeland Security.
Ms. Masih Alinejad is an Iranian American journalist and
women's rights activist, known for her tireless promotion of
freedom and democracy in her native country.
Her work focuses on the status of human rights in Iran
especially women's rights. Time Magazine named her among its
2023 honorees for Woman of the Year.
Ms. Alinejad was born and raised in a small village in Iran
and was politically active from a young age. She began her
career as a journalist within her country for various Iranian
newspapers.
She fled Iran in 2009 and, in 2014, launched My Stealthy
Freedom, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to
the promotion of Iranian women's actions to secure their
rights.
Despite the Iranian regime's multiple attempts to silence
her, Ms. Alinejad continues to speak out for freedom and
liberty for all Iranians, women and men.
Mr. Robert Greenway currently serves as the director of the
Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation. Mr.
Greenway has over 30 years in public service culminating as the
senior U.S. Government official responsible for developing,
coordinating, and implementing U.S. Government policy for all
the Middle East and North Africa on the National Security
Council.
Prior to service on the National Security Council, he
served as a senior intelligence officer at the Defense
Intelligence Agency and a veteran of the United States Army
Special Forces with six combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
While deputy assistant to the President and senior director
of the National Security Council's Middle Eastern and North
African Affairs Directorate, he planned and executed the United
States' most significant economic sanctions since the Cold War
as part of a broad strategy for Iran.
He was a principal architect of the historic Abraham
Accords, the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in the
Middle East since 1994.
Mr. Greenway also personally supervised development of a
first ever Presidentially-approved strategies for Iran, Syria,
Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, and Israel, and established the first
National-level efficacy and assessment process to quantify
outcomes and measure progress toward strategic objectives.
Mr. Thomas Warrick is the director of the Future of DHS
Project at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security's
Forward Defense Practice, and a nonresident senior fellow in
the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic
Council.
Previously he was the acting director of the Atlantic
Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative in the
Atlantic Council's Middle East programs.
Prior to joining the Atlantic Council from August 2008 to
2019, he was the deputy assistant secretary for
counterterrorism at DHS. From 1997 to 2007, he served in the
U.S. Department of State on Middle East and international
justice issues.
In 2001, he became special adviser, then senior adviser to
the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs,
working on Iraq, Iran, and other issues.
From July 2006 to 2007, he was director for Iraq political
affairs. He was briefly senior political adviser on the Iran
Desk in 2007.
Mr. Warrick joined DHS in August 2007 as director for the
Middle East, Africa, and South Asia in the Office of Policy. He
became deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy
in the Office of Policy.
In August 2008 and February 2015, Mr. Warrick was named
deputy counterterrorism coordinator for policy by the DHS
counterterrorism coordinator and under secretary for
intelligence and analysis.
I thank all the witnesses. It's very clear we have some
very talented individuals here today, and I look forward to
your testimony.
I now recognize Ambassador Sales for 5 minutes to summarize
his opening statement.
STATEMENT OF NATHAN A. SALES, PRIVATE CITIZEN
Mr. Sales. Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, and
Members of the committee, it's an honor to speak with you today
about the threat posed by the Iranian regime, an issue even
more urgent after the diabolical attack on Israel.
On October 7, Iran's proxy, Hamas, massacred more than
1,400 people and took some 200 hostages. As we've heard, it was
the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
It was also a dark day for America with now 33--at least
33--of our citizens killed. October 7 was the deadliest attack
on Americans by foreign terrorists since 9/11 and the fourth-
deadliest such attack in our history.
Make no mistake, Iran's fingerprints are all over it.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world's worst state
sponsor of terrorism. The threat it poses reaches from the
Middle East to the entire world, including the United States.
Right now, as we speak, Iran is plotting to assassinate a
number of former officials here on American soil, including
John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, and as we've heard, last year
Tehran tried to murder one of today's witnesses, the heroic
Masih Alinejad.
A decade earlier, Iran tried to assassinate the Saudi
Ambassador by bombing a restaurant in Georgetown. If
successful, the attack would've killed countless Americans.
Tehran didn't care.
One of the plotters said, quote, they want that guy done;
if the hundred go with him, eff them.
Note that Iran is trying to exploit vulnerabilities in our
Southern Border. In the Bolton plot, they planned to use a
Mexican national with ties to drug cartels. It also attempted
to use a Mexican cartel in the plot against the Saudi
Ambassador.
Other terrorists could target these vulnerabilities too.
CBP has reported a dramatic strike in watchlisted individuals
caught crossing the Southern Border: zero in 2019, 3 in 2020,
then 15 in 2021, 98 in 2022, and 169 this year.
Those are just the ones we know about. How many others were
able to enter the country undetected?
Then there's Hezbollah, Iran's top terror proxy. Between
1997 and 2020, 128 suspected Hezbollah operatives were arrested
in our country. Others are probably here too, hiding in plain
sight, and awaiting activation orders from their masters in
Tehran, which brings us to the horror in Israel.
Iran is encircling the Jewish state with an army of
terrorist proxies. In Lebanon, it has spent decades bankrolling
Hezbollah with some $700 million a year. In Gaza, Iranian help
has dramatically improved Hamas' capabilities.
This year, its support to Hamas reportedly topped $350
million. Why does this matter to the United States? Well,
first, we have a vital interest in ensuring that our ally
Israel is secure against enemies that seek its extermination.
When Hamas and its supporters say they want a Palestinian
state from the river to the sea, what they're really saying is
Israel has no right to exist at all. They're saying they want
the region to be cleansed of Jews, or, as you might put it in
German, a Palestine that is judenrein.
Second, we have common enemies. The Iranian proxies that
want to slaughter Israelis want to slaughter us too. In all,
Hamas has killed at least 79 Americans in at last 30 attacks
stretching back to the 1990's.
So what should we do? First, the administration needs to
deter Iran from plotting assassinations on our soil.
In 1993, Saddam Hussein tried to assassinate former
President Bush. President Clinton retaliated by launching 23
Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraq's intelligence service.
As President Clinton explained, quote: From the first days
of our Revolution, America's security has depended on the
clarity of this message: Don't tread on us.
Saddam got the message.
Now, no one is saying we should bomb Tehran, but the regime
should have more to fear from us than a stern press release.
Second, the administration should use sanctions to stanch
the flow of money to terrorism. The Iranian regime is richer
today than it has been in years. In 2021, its accessible
foreign currency reserves were down to $4-6 billion, roughly
the same as Haiti. Now the IMF estimates that its reserves will
hit $43 billion this year.
In August 2020, Tehran was exploiting an average of 749,000
barrels of August a day. This August, nearly 2 million a day.
In all, it's estimated that Iran has sold $80 billion worth
of oil since January 2021, much of it going to Communist China.
Eighty billion dollars can buy a lot of bombs.
Sanctions work. After the previous administration squeezed
Iran's economy, money for terrorism dried up. In 2019,
Hezbollah's leader was reduced to going on TV and pleading for
donations.
I'll end where I began. Let's be clear. The Islamic
Republic is responsible for the attack in Israel. Its exact
role may not be clear at the moment, but that doesn't really
matter. It certainly enabled the attack, providing Hamas with
money and weapons and training precisely so it could commit
terrorism like this.
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, and Members of the
committee, thank you again, and I look forward to your
questions.
[The prepared statement of Hon. Sales follows:]
Prepared Statement of Nathan A. Sales
October 25, 2023
Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, and Members of the
committee, it is a pleasure to be here today.
My name is Nathan Sales. I am the founder and principal of Fillmore
Global Strategies LLC, a consultancy that provides legal and strategic
advisory services on matters at the intersection of law, policy, and
diplomacy. I am also a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic
Council, a member of the advisory board at the Vandenberg Coalition,
and a senior advisor at the Soufan Group.
From 2017 to 2021, I served at the U.S. Department of State as the
ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism. Concurrently,
I was the acting under secretary of state for civilian security,
democracy, and human rights, as well as the special Presidential envoy
to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. I previously served at the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security as deputy assistant secretary for
policy, and at the U.S. Department of Justice as senior counsel in the
Office of Legal Policy, where I worked on counterterrorism policy. I am
here as a private citizen, but my testimony is informed by my
experiences working on national security and counterterrorism for the
U.S. Government over the course of two decades.
Today I will begin by describing the Iranian terrorist threat to
the U.S. homeland; then discuss Tehran's campaign of terrorism against
Israel, including Americans in Israel; and conclude with suggestions on
what more can be done to better protect Americans from the specter of
Iran-backed terrorism.
This hearing is taking place in the aftermath of a horrific
terrorist attack on our ally Israel--an attack that has Iran's
fingerprints all over it. On October 7, hordes of gunmen from Hamas--a
Palestinian terrorist group that the Islamic Republic provides with
money, weapons, and training--invaded southern Israel from the Gaza
Strip, perpetrating horrors seemingly taken from the pages of a Cormac
McCarthy novel. More than 1,400 men, women, and children were
mercilessly slaughtered, and around 200 hostages were carried off into
captivity, including infants and toddlers.\1\ October 7 was the
deadliest day in Israel's 75-year history. More than that, it was the
deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. It was also a dark day for
America, with 32 U.S. citizens killed and an estimated 11 missing, some
of whom are being held hostage in Gaza, as of this writing.\2\ That
makes October 7 the deadliest attack on Americans by international
terrorists since 9/11 and the fourth deadliest such attack in history.
I look forward to discussing with the committee what the United States
should do to prevent future atrocities like these.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Abbas Al Lawati et al., Israel Is at War with Hamas. Here's
What to Know, CNN, Oct. 16, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/16/
middleeast/israel-hamas-gaza-war-explained-week-2-mime-intl/index.html.
\2\ 32 Americans Killed in Israel-Hamas Conflict, State Department
Says, CBS News, Oct. 19, 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/
israel-hamas-war-palestinians-biden-speech-after-gaza-hospital-blast/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
i.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world's worst state sponsor of
terrorism. Acting through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
and numerous terrorist proxies, the regime has murdered countless
innocent civilians, taken hostages remorselessly, and shed blood on an
industrial scale. The threat it poses is not confined to the Middle
East but extends across the entire world--including the United States.
Let me share just a few examples of the Iranian threat to the
homeland.
Right now, as we speak, the Islamic Republic is actively plotting
to assassinate a number of former senior U.S. officials here on
American soil. Last year, the Justice Department announced charges
against an IRGC member believed to be the ringleader of a plot to
murder John Bolton, the former National Security Advisor. The would-be
assassin reportedly also was targeting former Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo. These former officials and others like them now live under
constant, 24-hour Government protection because of the Iranian threat
to their lives.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Jennifer Hansler, US Sanctions Iranian Officials Accused of
Plotting Assassinations Abroad Including Against Bolton and Pompeo,
CNN, June 1, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/01/politics/us-iran-
sanctions-assassination-plots/index.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, in July 2022, the Islamic Republic tried to assassinate
one of the witnesses at today's hearing: Masih Alinejad, the celebrated
Iranian-American human-rights activist. This brazen attempt on her
life--the regime sent a gunman armed with an AK-47 to her Brooklyn home
in broad daylight--came on the heels of a plot in 2021 to kidnap her in
New York and render her back to Iran to face torture or execution.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Benjamin Weiser & Glenn Thrush, Justice Dept. Announces More
Arrests in Plot to Kill Iranian Writer, N.Y. Times, Jan. 27, 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/27/us/politics/masih-alinejad-doj-
assassination-plot.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In August 2022, an IRGC supporter tried to murder acclaimed author
Salman Rushdie at a book festival in New York State, stabbing him
multiple times on stage. In a grotesque irony, Rushdie, who has been
under an Iranian death sentence since the publication of his novel The
Satanic Verses in the 1980's, was set to speak on the subject of
America's role as an ``asylum for writers and other artists in exile
and as a home for freedom of creative expression.''\5\ The assailant
reportedly was in contact with IRGC officials before the attack.\6\
Whether or not Tehran formally tasked him with the assault is beside
the point. The regime put a multi-million dollar bounty on Rushdie's
head--which was reaffirmed and even increased as recently as 2016 \7\--
so it is fully responsible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Ginger Adams Otis, Author Salman Rushdie Stabbed Onstage at New
York Event, Wall St. J., Aug 12, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/
salman-rushdie-attacked-at-new-york-event-11660320109.
\6\ Mitchell Prothero, Salman Rushdie Stabbing Suspect ``Had
Contact With Iran's Revolutionary Guard'', Vice News, Aug. 14, 2022,
https://www.vice.com/en/article/88qxvz/salman-rushdie-hadi-matar-
revolutionary-guard.
\7\ Thomas Erdbrink, Iran's Hard-Line Press Adds to Bounty on
Salman Rushdie, N.Y. Times, Feb. 22, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/
2016/02/23/world/middleeast/irans-hard-line-press-adds-to-bounty-on-
salman-rushdie.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A decade earlier, in 2011, the Iranian regime attempted to
assassinate Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the United States by bombing a
popular restaurant in Washington, DC's Georgetown neighborhood. Had the
plot succeeded, it could have resulted in mass casualties--not just the
intended target, but countless innocent Americans who happened to be at
the wrong place at the wrong time. For Tehran, that was a feature of
the operation, not a bug. Discussing the possibility of other deaths,
one of the plotters reportedly stated: ``They want that guy done, if
the hundred go with him f**k 'em.''\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ U.S. Dep't of Justice, Two Men Charged in Alleged Plot to
Assassinate Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States, Oct. 11,
2011, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-men-charged-alleged-plot-
assassinate-saudi-arabian-ambassador-united-states.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Critically, Iran has attempted to carry out several of these plots
by exploiting vulnerabilities in our Southern Border. In the attempted
assassination of John Bolton, Tehran planned to use a Mexican national
with ties to drug cartels.\9\ It likewise attempted to use a Mexican
drug cartel in the plot against the Saudi Ambassador.\10\ There is a
significant risk that Iran-backed and other terrorists might take
advantage of these vulnerabilities again in the future. The U.S.
Customs and Border Protection field office in San Diego recently warned
that Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorists ``may attempt travel to or
from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit
across the Southwest border.''\11\ More broadly, CBP has reported a
dramatic spike in the number of individuals on its Terrorist Screening
Dataset watchlist who were apprehended crossing the Southern Border:
zero in fiscal year 2019, 3 in fiscal year 2020, 15 in fiscal year
2021, 98 in fiscal year 2022, and 169 in fiscal year 2023.\12\ Those
are just the ones we know about. It is not implausible that other
watchlisted individuals have been able to enter the country undetected.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ Nick Schifrin, Iranian Man Charged for Trying to Assassinate
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, PBS, Aug. 10, 2022,
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/iranian-man-charged-for-trying-to-
assassinate-former-national-security-adviser-john-bolton.
\10\ Charlie Savage & Scott Shane, Iranians Accused of a Plot to
Kill Saudis' U.S. Envoy, N.Y. Times, Oct. 11, 2011, https://
www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/us/us-accuses-iranians-of-plotting-to-kill-
saudi-envoy.html.
\11\ Adam Shaw & Bill Melugin, CBP Memo Sounds Alarm on Hamas,
Hezbollah Fighters Potentially Using Southern Border to Enter US, Fox
News, Oct. 23, 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cbp-memo-sounds-
alarm-hamas-hezbollah-fighters-potentially-using-southern-border-enter-
us.
\12\ U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP Enforcement Statistics
Fiscal Year 2023, Oct. 23, 2023, https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/
cbp-enforcement-statistics. The Terrorist Screening Dataset ``is the
U.S. government's database that contains sensitive information on
terrorist identities.'' It ``originated as the consolidated terrorist
watchlist to house information on known or suspected terrorists (KSTs)
but has evolved over the last decade to include additional individuals
who represent a potential threat to the United States, including known
affiliates of watchlisted individuals.'' Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course, the Iranian regime targets Americans abroad as well as
at home. The IRGC was responsible for killing 603 American soldiers in
Iraq, in part due to the advanced explosively formed penetrators (EFPs)
it provided to its terror proxies in the country. That is one-sixth of
all U.S. fatalities during the war in Iraq.\13\ In Afghanistan, the
Islamic Republic reportedly paid Taliban fighters a $1,000 bounty for
every American soldier they killed.\14\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Alex Horton, Soleimani's Legacy: The Gruesome, Advanced IEDs
that Haunted U.S. Troops in Iraq, Wash. Post, Jan 3, 2020, https://
www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/01/03/soleimanis-legacy-
gruesome-high-tech-ieds-that-haunted-us-troops-iraq/.
\14\ Report: Iran Pays $1,000 for Each U.S. Soldier Killed by the
Taliban, NBC News, Sept. 5, 2010, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/
wbna39014669.
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Perhaps the most potent tool in Tehran's global terror campaign is
Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist group responsible for the 1983
attacks on the U.S. embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut,
Lebanon, which killed 63 and 305, respectively.\15\ Today, Hezbollah is
the Islamic Republic's proxy of choice for terrorist attacks on
Israelis and Jews around the world. In Argentina, in March 1992,
Hezbollah bombed the Israeli embassy, killing 29; 2 years later, in
July 1994, it bombed a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killing
85.\16\ In Bulgaria, in July 2012, a Hezbollah suicide bomber killed 5
Israeli tourists and their bus driver.\17\ In the past several years,
the group has been caught planning attacks or stockpiling explosives in
Western Europe, Latin America, the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and
elsewhere.\18\
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\15\ Matthew Levitt, The Origins of Hezbollah, The Atlantic, Oct.
23, 2013, https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/10/
the-origins-of-hezbollah/280809/.
\16\ Ronen Bergman, Mossad Sheds New Light on Argentina Terrorist
Attacks in 1990's, N.Y. Times, July 22, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/
2022/07/22/world/middleeast/argentina-mossad-hezbollah-bombings.html.
\17\ Benjamin Weinthal, Hezbollah Terrorists Who Killed Israelis in
Bulgaria Bus Blast Get Life in Prison, Jerusalem Post, Mar. 21, 2023,
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-734936.
\18\ U.S. Dep't of State, Country Reports on Terrorism 2020, Dec.
2021, at 266 [hereinafter 2020 Country Reports], https://www.state.gov/
reports/country-reports-on-terrorism-2020/; US Accuses Hezbollah of
Storing Explosive Chemical in Europe, AP, Sept. 17, 2020, https://
apnews.com/article/italy-militant-groups-greece-terrorism-europe-
8e559f3e5a2696ba8cda679c5cc- cb0c0.
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Hezbollah is also active here at home. Between 1997 and 2020, 128
suspected Hezbollah members were arrested in the United States.\19\ In
recent years the FBI arrested three suspected Hezbollah operatives who
were conducting surveillance on the Panama Canal and casing potential
targets in New York City, including the Statue of Liberty, Empire State
Building, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center. Two have been convicted
of various terrorism-related crimes and sentenced to lengthy prison
terms, while the third case remains pending.\20\ We have to assume that
other Hezbollah operatives are here as well, hiding in plain sight and
awaiting activation orders in the event of open conflict between Iran
and the United States or Iran and Israel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ Anyssia S. Kokinos et al., Hezbollah's Operations and Networks
in the United States, June 2022, at 4, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/
g/files/zaxdzs5746/files/Hezbollah's_Opera-
tions_and_Networks_in_the_United_States_June30_2022.pdf. See also Colin
P. Clarke, Hezbollah Has Been Active in America for Decades, The
National Interest, Aug. 26, 2017, https://nationalinterest.org/feature/
hezbollah-has-been-active-america-decades-22051.
\20\ U.S. Dep't of Justice, New Jersey Man Sentenced To 12 Years in
Prison for Receiving Military-Type Training From Hezbollah, Marriage
Fraud and Making False Statements, May 23, 2023, https://
www.justice.gov/opa/pr/new-jersey-man-sentenced-12-years-prison-
receiving-military-type-training-hezbollah-marriage; U.S. Dep't of
Justice, Hizballah Operative Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Covert
Terrorist Activities on Behalf of Hizballah's Islamic Jihad
Organization, Dec. 3, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/hizballah-
operative-sentenced-40-years-prison-covert-terrorist-activities-behalf-
hizballah-s; U.S. Dep't of Justice, Two Men Arrested for Terrorist
Activities on Behalf of Hizballah's Islamic Jihad Organization, June 8,
2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-men-arrested-terrorist-
activities-behalf-hizballahs-islamic-jihad-organization.
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ii.
Which brings us to the horror in Israel.
Iran is pursuing an encirclement strategy with respect to the
Jewish state--surrounding it with a range of terrorist proxies to
threaten its citizens and apply pressure. Hamas is just the tip of the
iceberg.
To the north, in Lebanon, Iran has spent decades lavishly
bankrolling Hezbollah, building a corrupt state within a state that
serves Tehran's interests and impoverishes the Lebanese people.
According to the U.S. State Department, the Islamic Republic has
provided Hezbollah with some $700 million a year.\21\ Hezbollah now
sits on a massive arsenal of 150,000 rockets and missiles, and with
Iran's help it is developing the capability to build its own precision
guided munitions that could reach all of Israel's territory.\22\ In the
northeast, in Syria, the IRGC is hard at work propping up the brutal
Assad dictatorship, greatly adding to the misery of the long-suffering
Syrian people. Hezbollah fighters are there, too, of course.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\21\ 2020 Country Reports at 267.
\22\ 2020 Country Reports at 122, 131.
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In the south, in Gaza, Iran-backed Hamas runs a terror statelet
whose priority is not providing basic services to the Palestinian
people, but devoting enormous resources to terrorism--tunnels, rockets,
even incendiary kites and balloons. Extensive Iranian support in the
past several years has enabled Hamas to dramatically improve its
capabilities. Hamas has never wavered from the goals it announced in
its founding covenant in 1988: killing Jews and destroying Israel.
``Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious . .
. The Day of Judgement will not come about,'' [the covenant] proclaims,
``until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will
hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems,
O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him . . . There is
no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad.''\23\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\23\ Quoted in Bruce Hoffman, Understanding Hamas's Genocidal
Ideology, The Atlantic, Oct. 10, 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/
international/archive/2023/10/hamas-covenant-israel-attack-war-
genocide/675602/.
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Hamas's neighbors in Gaza, Palestine Islamic Jihad, are also on
Tehran's payroll. All told, Tehran has provided various Palestinian
terrorist groups in Gaza and the West Bank with upwards of $100 million
annually, according to the State Department.\24\ This year, Iran's
support to Hamas alone has ballooned to $350 million a year, according
to Israeli security sources.\25\ It might come as a surprise that
Shiite Iran would bankroll Sunni terrorists like Hamas, but their
shared hatred of Jews and of Israel allows them to overlook their
theological differences to form an alliance of convenience.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\24\ 2020 Country Reports at 272-73.
\25\ Samia Nakhoul, How Hamas Secretly Built a ``Mini-Army'' to
Fight Israel, Reuters, Oct. 13, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/
middle-east/how-hamas-secretly-built-mini-army-fight-israel-2023-10-
13/.
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Farther afield, in Yemen, the Iranian regime provides the Houthis
with precision weapons they use to attack airports, energy
infrastructure, and other civilian targets across the region while
bringing the Yemeni people to the brink of famine. Lately, the Houthis
have signaled that they might start targeting Israel with Iranian
drones.\26\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\26\ Tom O'Connor, Iran-Backed Houthis Ready to Join War on Israel
with Drones and Missiles, Newsweek, Oct. 9, 2023, https://
www.newsweek.com/iran-backed-houthis-ready-join-war-israel-drones-
missiles-1833221.
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Why does this all matter to the United States? For several reasons.
First, we have a vital national interest in ensuring that Israel, our
closest ally in the region and the only democracy in the region, is
secure against its many enemies--enemies that seek its extermination.
When Hamas and its supporters say they want a Palestinian state ``from
the river to the sea''--i.e., from the Jordan River to the
Mediterranean Sea--what they are really saying is that they reject the
right of Israel to exist at all. They are saying they want the region
to be cleansed of Jews. Or, as you might put it in German, a Palestine
that is judenrein.
Second, the United States and Israel have common enemies. For the
Islamic Republic, Israel may be the Little Satan, but America is the
Great Satan, and the Iranian terror proxies that want to slaughter
Israelis want to slaughter Americans as well. Consider Hamas. The
October 7 attack killed at least 32 U.S. citizens, making it the
deadliest attack on Americans by international terrorists since 9/11
and the fourth deadliest such attack in history.\27\ More Americans
were killed on October 7 than in the attacks on Khobar Towers in Saudi
Arabia in 1996 (19 Americans killed), the USS Cole in 2000 (17
Americans killed), our embassy in Beirut in 1983 (17 Americans killed),
or our embassies in East Africa in 1998 (12 Americans killed).
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\27\ The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 Americans, followed by
the 1983 bombing of the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut (241 Americans
killed), and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie,
Scotland (190 Americans killed).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In all, Hamas has killed at least 78 Americans in at least 30
terrorist attacks stretching back to the 1990's, according to research
by the Soufan Group. For example, in August 2001, Hamas terrorists
bombed a Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, killing 16 people, including
three Americans: Malki Roth, who was just 15; Judith Shoshana
Greenbaum, who was pregnant and whose unborn child also died; and Chana
Nachenberg, who succumbed to her injuries this year after 22 years in a
coma. The mastermind of the bombing, Ahlam Ahmad Al-Tamimi, is now
living freely in Jordan, where she hosts a show on a Hamas-affiliated
television channel. Tamimi is on the FBI's list of most wanted
terrorists and the U.S. Justice Department unsealed criminal charges
against her in 2017 for her role in the attack.\28\ Despite the
existence of a valid extradition treaty between Washington and Amman,
the government of Jordan has refused to extradite her to the United
States to face justice for her crimes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\28\ Raffi Berg, Jerusalem Sbarro Pizza Bombing Victim Dies After
22 Years in Coma, BBC News, June 1, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/
world-middle-east-65754102; Spencer S. Hsu, U.S. Unseals Charge Against
Jordanian Woman in 2001 Jerusalem Sbarro Bombing, Wash. Post, Mar. 15,
2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/us-unseals-
charge-against-jordanian-woman-in-2001-jerusalem-sbarro-bombing/2017/
03/14/6b5a51f8-08f9-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html.
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In July 2002, Hamas bombed a busy cafeteria at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem around lunchtime. Nine people, including 5
Americans--all students--were killed. Hamas claimed responsibility for
the atrocity at a rally in Gaza City that was attended by 10,000
supporters.\29\ The next year, in August 2003, a Hamas suicide bomber
detonated a bomb aboard a bus in Jerusalem, killing 20, including 5
U.S. citizens. Three of the American victims were young children:
Yitzhak Reinitz (9 years old), Tehilla Nathanson (3 years old), and
Shmuel Taubenfeld (3 months old).\30\
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\29\ Israel Arrests Suspects in University Bombing, CNN, Aug. 21,
2002, https://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/08/21/mideast/; Seven
Killed, Dozens Wounded in Bomb Blast at Israel University, AP, Aug. 1,
2002, https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/2002/08/01/seven-killed-
dozens-wounded-in/51073881007/.
\30\ Mideast Awaits Israeli Response, CBS News, Aug. 20, 2003,
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mideast-awaits-israeli-response/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's be clear: The Islamic Republic manifestly bears
responsibility for the October 7 Hamas attack. It has enlisted Hamas as
a proxy in its broader terror campaign against Israel, and it has spent
years providing the group with tens of millions of dollars' worth of
cash, weapons, and training to enable precisely the sort of bloodshed
unleashed on October 7. To be sure, Tehran's exact role in the attack
remains somewhat opaque at the moment.\31\ Yet in a broader sense it
doesn't matter. Whether or not Tehran ``planned'' or ``directed'' or
``ordered'' or ``approved'' the Hamas attack is hairsplitting. Tehran
certainly enabled the attack, providing weapons and training in recent
years that vastly improved Hamas's lethality, and it has celebrated the
attack as advancing its strategic objectives. We are therefore entirely
justified in holding the regime accountable for the innocent lives
lost.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\31\ According to Wall Street Journal reporting, Iran helped plan
the attack and gave the final go-ahead on October 2. Summer Said et
al., Iran Helped Plot Attack on Israel Over Several Weeks, Wall St. J.,
Oct. 8, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-israel-hamas-
strike-planning-bbe07b25. Some New York Times sources likewise recount
that ``a tight circle of leaders from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas helped
plan the attack starting over a year ago, trained militants and had
advanced knowledge of it,'' while in September the Times reported that
Israel ``had intelligence suggesting . . . Iran's supreme leader had
ordered a wide campaign against Israel including targeting its citizens
abroad, conducting sabotage inside its borders, and smuggling
sophisticated weapons to the Palestinians to ignite a civil war in the
West Bank.'' Farnaz Fassihi & Ronen Bergman, Hamas Attack on Israel
Brings New Scrutiny of Group's Ties to Iran, N.Y. Times, Oct. 13, 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/world/middleeast/hamas-iran-israel-
attack.html. On the other hand, administration officials have pointed
to a preliminary intelligence assessment suggesting that certain
elements of the Iranian regime were surprised by the timing and scope
of the attack, though they likely knew Hamas was planning attacks on
Israel. Adam Entous et al., Early Intelligence Shows Hamas Attack
Surprised Iranian Leaders, U.S. Says, N.Y. Times, Oct. 11, 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/us/politics/iran-israel-gaza-hamas-
us-intelligence.html; Warren P. Strobel & Michael R. Gordon, Iran Knew
Hamas Was Planning Attacks, but Not Timing or Scale, U.S. Says, Wall
St. J., Oct. 11, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-knew-
hamas-was-planning-attacks-but-not-timing-or-scale-u-s-says-d8c669f1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
iii.
What then should the United States do about October 7, and about
the wider terrorist threat the Islamic Republic of Iran poses to the
homeland and to Americans abroad? At a minimum, we must impose real
costs on Tehran to deter terrorism, enforce sanctions to deny the
regime resources for terrorism, and back Israel to the hilt.
First, the Biden administration must do more to deter Iran from
plotting assassinations in our country. One might have expected the
administration to insist, as a precondition for nuclear or other talks,
that the regime abandon its efforts to assassinate former U.S.
officials and activists. It did not. At a minimum, one might have
expected the administration to obtain, as an element of the recent
agreement with Tehran to exchange prisoners, an Iranian commitment to
abandon its assassination plots. Again, it did not. Instead, Iran's
president--Ebrahim Raisi, who has been under U.S. human rights
sanctions since 2019 for his role in the regime's 1988 ``death
commission'' that slaughtered thousands of political prisoners--has
reaffirmed (on American soil, no less) the regime's intent to
assassinate Americans. Here is what he said at the United Nations last
month, referencing the 2020 operation to eliminate U.S.-sanctioned
terrorist Qasem Soleimani:
``The Islamic Republic of Iran, through all tools and capacities in
order to bring to justice the perpetrators and all those who had a hand
in this government sanctioned act of terror, will not sit until that is
done. The blood of the oppressed will not be forgotten.''\32\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\32\ Quoted in Farnaz Fassihi, Iran's President Threatens U.S.
Officials From the U.N. Podium, Dimming Hopes for a Rapprochement,
Seattle Times, Sept. 19, 2023, https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-
world/irans-president-threatens-u-s-officials-from-the-u-n-podium-
dimming-hopes-for-a-rapprochement/.
The Justice Department certainly deserves credit for prosecuting
some of those involved in the Bolton plot. And I imagine the targets of
Iran's assassination campaign appreciate the White House's promise
that, ``[s]hould Iran attack any of our citizens, . . . Iran will face
severe consequences.''\33\ (Of course, they might prefer for some of
those consequences to be imposed now, while they are still alive, as a
deterrent.)
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\33\ The White House, Statement by National Security Advisor Jake
Sullivan on Iran's Continued Targeting of U.S. Citizens, Aug. 10, 2022,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/
10/statement-by-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-on-irans-
continued-targeting-of-u-s-citizens/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
But these efforts pale in comparison to how we responded to past
attempts to kill American officials. In 1993, the United States
uncovered a plot by Saddam Hussein's Iraq to assassinate former
president George H.W. Bush during a trip to Kuwait. President Clinton
retaliated by launching 23 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the headquarters
of the Iraqi intelligence service in Baghdad. As President Clinton
explained, a firm and decisive response was essential because the plot,
which was ``directed against a former President of the United States
because of actions he took as President,'' was ultimately ``an attack
against our country and against all Americans.'' He continued: ``We
could not and have not let such action against our Nation go
unanswered. From the first days of our revolution, America's security
has depended on the clarity of this message: Don't tread on us.''\34\
Saddam got the message, and the scheme was abandoned. No one is calling
for a military strike on Tehran, but indictments and statements are
plainly inadequate to establish deterrence. Tehran should have more to
fear than a sternly-worded press release.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\34\ David Von Drehle & R. Jeffrey Smith, U.S. Strikes Iraq for
Plot to Kill Bush, Wash. Post, June 27, 1993, https://
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/iraq/timeline/062793.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second, the administration should resume robust sanctions
enforcement to deny the Islamic Republic resources to fund terrorism
around the globe. The Iranian regime is richer today than it has been
in years. A great deal of attention has been paid to the $6 billion
held in South Korea that the White House agreed to unfreeze as part of
a deal to release some of the American hostages held in Iran. The
administration deserves credit for announcing that, in the wake of the
Hamas attack on Israel, it will deny the regime access to those funds
``for the foreseeable future''\35\--though it would be preferable to
freeze the $6 billion indefinitely, along with $10 billion that was
unfrozen in the summer of 2023 to cover energy payments from Iraq to
Iran.\36\ The bigger problem, in my view, is the fact that the regime
has been able to dramatically increase its energy exports, and thus
dramatically improve its economic strength, over the past several
years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\35\ Michael Crowley & Alan Rappeport, U.S. and Qatar Deny Iran
Access to $6 Billion From Prisoner Deal, N.Y. Times, Oct. 12, 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/world/middleeast/us-qatar-iran-
prisoner-deal.html. While the hostages deal provides that the $6
billion may only be released for ``humanitarian purposes,'' id., Iran's
president has stated that the regime will spend the money ``wherever we
need it.'' Dan De Luce, Iranian President Says Tehran Will Spend the $6
Billion Released in Prisoner Exchange ``Wherever We Need It'', NBC
News, Sept. 12, 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iranian-
president-says-tehran-will-spend-6-billion-released-prisoner-e-
rcna104475. Moreover, money is fungible, and if Iran now has $6 billion
to spend on food and medicine, that will free up $6 billion to spend on
guns and bombs.
\36\ David S. Cloud & Ghassan Adnan, Iraq Tests U.S. Sanctions with
Oil-for-Gas Deal with Iran, Wall St. J., July 14, 2023, https://
www.wsj.com/articles/iraq-tests-u-s-sanctions-with-oil-for-gas-deal-
with-iran-c318b917.
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As a result of crippling sanctions, by the end of the previous
administration, Iran's economy was hobbled, its coffers were drained,
and its ability to project power abroad was reduced. Tehran is in a
substantially stronger position today. By 2021, the regime's accessible
foreign currency reserves were down to $4-6 billion--roughly the same
as Haiti. Now, the International Monetary Fund estimates that Iran's
reserves will hit $43 billion this year, and that was before the $6
billion and $10 billion were unfrozen over the summer.\37\ Energy
analysts assess that, since 2020, Iran's oil exports have increased by
a factor of four or five, with the lion's share of sales going to
China.\38\ According to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a
nonpartisan group that tracks Iranian energy sales, in August 2020,
Iran was exporting an average of 749,000 barrels of oil per day. In
August 2023, its exports were up to an average of 1,932,000 barrels per
day.\39\ In 2020, Iran sold $12.5 billion of oil. That number jumped to
$43 billion in 2022.\40\ Between January 2021 and September 2022, the
regime's oil sales to China alone totaled $38 billion.\41\ In all, UANI
estimates that Iran has been able to sell $80 billion of oil since
January 2021.\42\ Eighty billion dollars can buy a lot of bombs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\37\ Washington Unlocks Frozen Iranian Funds, Jewish Inst. for
Nat'l Sec. of Am., June 14, 2023, at 3, https://jinsa.org/wp-content/
uploads/2023/06/20230614_FrozenIranianFunds- _v2-1.pdf.
\38\ Manuel Quinones & Bob King, Biden's Choice: Let Iranian Oil
Flow or Watch Prices Rise, Politico, Oct. 12, 2023, https://
www.politico.com/news/2023/10/12/biden-iran-oil-gas-prices-00120924.
\39\ United Against Nuclear Iran, Iran Tanker Tracking, https://
www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/tanker-tracker.
\40\ United Against Nuclear Iran, Analysis of Iranian Oil Sales
Under President Trump vs. President Biden, Oct. 6, 2022, https://
www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/blog/analysis-of-iranian-oil-sales-
under-president-trump-vs-president-biden.
\41\ Michael Crowley, U.S. Penalizes Chinese Companies for Aiding
Iran's Oil Exports, N.Y. Times, Sept. 29, 2022, https://
www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/us/politics/iran-sanctions-china-oil.html.
\42\ Nassim Khadem, As Israel's War Against Hamas Escalates, US
Sends a Warning to Iran, Raising Fears of a Recession, ABC News
(Australia), Oct. 12, 2023, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-13/
israel-war-against-hamas-iran-oil-price-economy-global-recession/
102968608.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tehran will certainly use this windfall to support terrorism across
the region, against Israel, and against the United States, and the
White House should restore the economic pressure that brought Iran's
economy to its knees. Terrorism sanctions work. Sanctions deny
terrorists the money they need to plan and carry out attacks. As I've
mentioned, for years Hezbollah could count on its patrons in Tehran to
provide it with upwards of $700 million annually, and Hamas and other
Palestinian terrorists received $100 million a year. But after the
United States used sanctions to squeeze Iran's economy, the money dried
up. By 2019, both groups had to adopt ``austerity plans'' to cope with
the shortfall. Hezbollah's leader was reduced to going on TV and
pleading for donations.\43\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\43\ Special Representative Brian H. Hook, Testimony Before the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 116th Cong., Oct. 16, 2019, at 3,
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/download/hook-testimony-101619.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Third, the United States must support Israel until it achieves its
goals in the war with Hamas. This is not a war that Israel sought, but
it is one that it cannot afford to lose. President Biden has spoken
powerfully about Israel's right to self-defense, a marked improvement
over the confused messaging we initially saw from his administration.
The day of the attack, the State Department's Office of Palestinian
Affairs tweeted a call for ``all sides to refrain from violence and
retaliatory attacks'' (it was quickly deleted), which was followed the
next day by a tweet reporting that Secretary of State Blinken urged a
``cease-fire'' in a call with his Turkish counterpart (it too was
quickly deleted).\44\ Presumably these posts were scrubbed because
higher-ups realized that standing in the way of Israeli retaliation and
demanding a cease-fire would only reward Hamas and cripple Israel's
ability to prevent future attacks.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\44\ Katelyn Caralle, State Department Slammed for Deleting
MULTIPLE Tweets Urging Israel to Stand Down on Retaliating Against
Hamas, Daily Mail (UK), Oct. 9, 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/
article-12611231/State-Department-slammed-deleting-MULTIPLE-tweets-
urging-Israel-stand-retaliating-against-Hamas.html.
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Now the White House will need to put the diplomatic heft of the
United States behind the President's words. Israel has articulated
expansive goals for the war in Gaza--degrading Hamas to the point it is
no longer capable of threatening Israel or functioning as a quasi-
governmental entity, an ambitious goal that is comparable to the United
States's aim of destroying al-Qaeda in the aftermath of 9/11, and
defeating ISIS's so-called ``caliphate'' in Iraq and Syria during the
Obama and Trump administrations. The United States will need to ensure
that Israel has the time and space it needs to accomplish its mission,
pushing back against its critics at the United Nations and elsewhere
when they inevitably begin to demand that Jerusalem stand down
prematurely before its objectives are met.
At the same time, United States must use its influence to ensure
that Israel prosecutes the war in a way that causes as little harm as
possible to civilians in Gaza. Heartbreaking images of human suffering
have begun to emerge from the war zone and Israel--neither more nor
less than any other combatant--should fully comply with law-of-war
requirements designed to prevent civilian harm, as it has done in the
past and has pledged to do now. We should also be clear about who bears
responsibility for this suffering: Hamas, which has a long and sordid
history of using Palestinian civilians as human shields; of storing
weapons in and around schools, mosques, and other protected civilian
infrastructure; and even of preventing Palestinian civilians from
evacuating conflict zones. Hamas puts its own population at risk to
further its murderous terror campaign. Its atrocities against Israelis
and Jews and its cruelties to Palestinians are two sides of the same
coin.
* * *
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, and Members of the committee,
thank you again. I look forward to your questions.
Chairman Green. Thank you, Ambassador Sales.
I now recognize Ms. Alinejad for 5 minutes to summarize her
opening statement.
STATEMENT OF MASIH ALINEJAD, PRIVATE CITIZEN
Ms. Alinejad. Thank you so much. Chairman Green, Ranking
Member Thompson, and distinguished Members of the committee,
I'm very honored to be here alongside all of you, talking about
important issue: Iran's threats to the region and to the
Homeland Security.
By listening to all of you speakers, my heart is broken
because I love Iran, and I heard that my beloved country,
Iran's name, being mentioned in all of your talk regarding to
terrorist act.
On behalf of millions of Iranians, I'm here to tell you
that it's not Iran backing the terrorists. The people of Iran
are standing in solidarity with the people of Israel. We, the
people of the Iran, are hostage in the hand of this terrorist
regime.
Islamic Republic, Hamas, do not talk for the people of Iran
and people of Palestine.
Last month, I had the privilege to testify before a
subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the
Iranian regime's oppression against people, and I emphasize the
resilience of the people of Iran fighting the oppressive
clerical regime.
The murder of Mahsa ``Jina'' Amini, in the hand of morality
police, for the crime of just showing a bit of her hair,
sparked a revolution called Woman, Life, Freedom.
Tragically, the regime's brutality continues. Another girl,
Armita Geravand, only 16 years old, now is in a coma after
being beaten up by morality police, again, for not covering her
hair.
After my testimony last month, yes, you're right, I
received death threats just because of being vocal against the
terrorist regime of Iran.
But I'm not alone. Other Americans have also come under
attacks from the Iranian regime. We received death threats from
Revolutionary Guards, Hamas, Hezbollah, Taliban, on U.S. soil.
The Islamic Republic funds groups like Hamas and Hezbollah
to carry out its terrorist agenda. They pose substantial
threats not only to its regional neighbors but also to the
United States on U.S. soil.
Let me share just a bit of my experience. Growing up in
Iran, I, like thousands--no, millions of Iranian children--I
was forced, brainwashed, to chant ``death to America, death to
Israel.''
Yes, Iran--cursing Israel and America, but now my people in
Iran, they are saying ``death to Islamic Republic.''
When I was a teenager, I got kicked out from schools. When
I became a journalist, I got kicked out from Parliament just
because of criticizing the Islamic Republic. I kicked out from
my homeland Iran.
I started my new life in America to be safe, to practice my
freedom of speech here. But let's be honest with you. As an
American citizen, I don't feel safe here at home anymore. My
family doesn't feel safe anymore.
Since 2021, I have been forced to relocate over a dozen
times under the supervision of the FBI. Two years ago, Iranian
regime were plotting to kidnap me and take me from Brooklyn by
a speedboat to a cargo ship bound for Venezuela and then to
Iran.
To you maybe it's a scary movie, but to us, this is the
reality. They did that to my colleague in France, and they
executed him in Iran. I could've been one of them.
This brought great hardship on myself, my husband, and my
stepchildren. I thought, after the FBI stopped the kidnapping
plot, I'm going to have a normal life. I was wrong.
Just last July, a man with AK-47 came to my house, on my
porch in Brooklyn, trying to kill me. The assassin, a member of
an East European criminal gang. Yes, you heard me right.
They're using criminal gangs to do their dirty job on U.S.
soil.
He was there stalking, monitoring my activities, the
activities of my children, my neighbors, my friends. Imagine if
he had opened fire how many of my neighbors would've been
killed, American citizens on U.S. soil.
Today the three assassins hired by the Islamic Republic are
in jail thanks to the FBI. An Iranian American woman who
financially helped the kidnapping plot received 4 years' prison
sentence.
The Iranian regime has even targeted individuals who work
with me here in the United States, including my chief of staff,
Saman Pashaei. He is sitting behind me.
They arrested his brother for a crime of my chief of staff
working with me on U.S. soil, and he was tortured for 90 days.
As one agent told me, Iran regime is persistent and will
try again and again. But, as you hear, I'm not going to keep
silent. I have come to realize that, even on U.S. soil, being
safe is true luxury for those of us who dare to criticize the
terrorist regime in Iran.
Iran's regime is threatening U.S. citizens on U.S. soil,
but the administration's response has been very, very
disappointing.
In the aftermath of the assassination plot, no
administration officials have ever reached out to me or other
American--Iranian Americans facing the same threats.
The White House warned me this year that there have been
more than 31 credible threats against me on U.S. soil, but
their advice for me was just go under witness protection. What
witness protection means, it means I have to change my name, my
Social Security number, my identity, and get lost, get
disappear. That's not in my DNA.
I understand that they want to protect me, but being silent
is what the Islamic Republic wants.
Here I appeal for your help. The administration has a
responsibility to combat terror and protect me and other
Americans to express ourselves freely on U.S. soil. It is
important for the White House to acknowledge the threats posed
by Iranian regime as national security threats.
I ask that a dedicated office to be set up at the
appropriate law enforcement agency to monitor Islamic
Republic's threats on our homeland and protect Americans from
the physical and cyber reach of Islamic regime. That would be a
start for Americans to feel safe at home.
Now Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel should serve as a
wake-up call for all American allies. If the United States and
its allies do not get united to end terrorism now, terrorists
will get united and end democracy.
Thank you for holding a hearing on this important topic,
and I want you to see this as bipartisan issue and end Hamas
Islamic Republic. Thank you so much, and I'm ready to answer
any questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Alinejad follows:]
Prepared Statement of Masih Alinejad
Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, distinguished Mmbers of
the committee. Permit me to begin by thanking you for holding this
hearing on Islamic Republic's threats to Homeland Security and for the
opportunity to testify before you.
Last month, I had the privilege to testify before a subcommittee of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on the Iranian regime's malignant
actions and escalating threats. During that hearing, I emphasized the
resilience of the Iranian people in resisting the oppressive clerical
regime. The murder of Mahsa Amini, while in the custody for the crime
of inappropriate hijab ignited massive protests. Tragically the regime
brutality continues. Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old girl is in a coma
and fighting for her life for refusing to wear the hijab in public.
The regime's destructive nature extends beyond its own borders--
Islamic Republic funds, trains and equips groups like Hamas and
Hezbollah to carry out its lethal agenda. At least 30 Americans have
been killed in the war started by Hamas. At least 200 are held as
hostage, including at least 20 Americans. The Islamic Republic poses a
substantial threat, not only to its regional neighbors but also to the
United States, threatening Americans on our soil.
Appearing here today comes with its own perils. After my testimony
last month, my organization endured a severe cyber attack from sources
linked with the Islamic Republic. I have received death and kidnap
threats. I am not alone, other Americans have also come under attack
from the Iranian regime. This is not new; I have endured death threats
from the Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah, and Taliban. And more
recently, you can now add Hamas to the list after I publicly condemned
the brutal attack on Israel.
Let me share just a bit about my personal experience. I was born in
a traditional and religious family in northern Iran. My parents were
poor farmers. Growing up, I was brainwashed at a young age, like
thousands of other young children, to chant slogans like death to
Israel and death to America. As a teenager, my political activism
landed me in jail. Much later on as a journalist, I was often critical
of the government, and was forced to leave my birth country in 2009,
during the Green protests. I started my second life in my adopted
country, the United States which allowed me to flourish as a
journalist, an author, a women's rights activist, and a vocal critic of
the Islamic Republic.
As an American citizen I don't feel safe in my home. My family
doesn't feel safe. Since 2021, I have been forced to relocate over a
dozen times, under the supervision of the FBI. Two years ago, Iranian
intelligence operatives were plotting to kidnap me and take me from
Brooklyn via a speedboat to a cargo ship bound for Venezuela and then
to Iran. The constant need to move without knowing the exact nature of
the dangers, brought great hardships on myself, my husband, and my
step-children. We all had to pretend to live a normal life while
constantly on the move.
I have come to realize that ``being safe'' is a luxury. Even after
the Department of Justice exposed the kidnap plot, my life didn't
return to normal. On two separate occasions, special FBI units whisked
my family back into safe locations after receiving notice of credible
and serious threats. There is no escaping the fact that the Iranian
regime had put a target on my back and I had to accept my new
circumstances. As one agent told me, Iranian regime is persistent and
will try again and again.
This reality again struck home last July when a man armed with AK-
47 came to my house in Brooklyn to kill me on direct orders from the
Islamic Republic. The assassin, a member of an East European criminal
gang had been stalking me for days, waiting outside my home and
monitoring my activities and those of my family, neighbors, and
friends.
The incident marked the second serious attempt on my life in
America, precisely 12 months after the kidnap plot.
Again, I was forced to abandon my Brooklyn home and leave behind my
friends and neighbors in exchange for a series of temporary locations.
Today, the three assassins are behind bars awaiting trial but I am
forced to take elaborate precautions whenever I'm in public. But I am
not alone in not feeling safe. Other Iranian American dissidents, and
former officials, also feel unsafe. I'm still shocked that the Iranian
regime is threatening us in our own homes with impunity.
It is not just physical threat. The Iranian regime has engaged in
election interfering in the past and will exploit the war in Gaza to
spread disinformation and hate speech on our campuses and on social
media.
I am grateful to Members of Congress who passed the Masih Alinejad
Hunt Law in response to the kidnapping plot.
However, the administration's response has been inadequate. By not
holding the regime accountable, the administration appears weak in the
face of Iranian aggression. The White House is treating these plots on
our soil as criminal matters, to be treated by the Justice Department.
I beg to differ. These plots against Americans are national security
threats. This issue extends beyond me and other dissidents; the
Revolutionary Guards have threatened former Government officials,
including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former National
Security Advisor John Bolton. These threats against Americans on U.S.
soil are nothing short of a declaration of war.
Instead of holding the Iranian regime accountable, the
administration prefers my silence. In the aftermath of the
assassination plot, no senior administration official has ever reached
out to meet me, or other Iranian-Americans facing these threats. The
White House warned me earlier this year that there have been more than
31 credible threats against me on U.S. soil, but their advice was to
strongly suggest that I enter into witness protection.
Witness protection would entail changing my name, social security
number, identity, and be silent and disappear. This is precisely what
the Islamic Republic wants. To be silenced is not an option for me.
The administration has a responsibility to combat terror and
protect American lives. The administration should never have approved
to release $6 billion in exchange for five hostages wrongfully held. We
should permanently stop Islamic Republic from accessing those funds,
which will be used to bring more terror to people of Israel and here in
the United States.
It is time to confront the reality that after more than four
decades in power, the character of the Islamic Republic is unlikely to
change. Hamas's attack on Israel should serve as a wake-up call. It is
important for the White House to acknowledge the threats posed by
Iranian regime as national security threats.
We need to find ways to stop Iranian agents from spreading
disinformation, and from turning our freedoms against us. Family
members of regime officials work and travel freely in the United States
but their loyalty is with the Islamic Republic.
Finally, I ask that a dedicated office to be set up at the
appropriate law enforcement agency to monitor Iranian threats on our
homeland and protect Americans from the physical and cyber reach of
Iranian regime. That would be a start for Americans to feel safe at
home. We need to find ways to help Americans who are not Government
officials but are targeted by the Iranian regime.
Thank you for holding a hearing on this important topic, and your
bipartisan commitment to safeguarding our country. I look forward to
answering your questions.
Chairman Green. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Alinejad.
I now recognize Mr. Greenway for his 5 minutes to summarize
his opening statement.
STATEMENT OF ROBERT GREENWAY, DIRECTOR, HERITAGE FOUNDATION,
CENTER FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE
Mr. Greenway. Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson,
distinguished Members of the committee, thank you for the
opportunity and privilege to testify before you today.
The risk from the Islamic Republic of Iran, and those
acting on their behalf, has expanded as the scope and scale of
terrorism it has long sponsored.
Though present since the 1979 revolution, the risk has
increased dramatically in response to the dismantling of U.S.
deterrence as the Biden administration initiated its policy of
appeasement beginning in January 2021.
Tehran's escalation reached a deadly peak 2 weeks ago, at
least 33 Americans and 1,400 Israelis were killed, 13 American
and 199 Israeli hostages taken as Hamas terrorists carried out
an unprecedented terrorist attack in Israel on October 7.
According to multiple sources, the Islamic Republic of Iran
helped plan and coordinate the operation executed by their
surrogate Hamas, an organization they fund, train, equip, and
control.
This is likely only the beginning. Former Hamas Leader
Khaled Mashal published an announcement on October 10, calling
on the global Muslim community to join the battle.
Hamas itself has published a formal announcement, calling
Arab and Muslim communities world-wide to mount a wide-scale
uprising and advance toward the borders of Israel.
We are not immune. The U.S. Border Patrol has encountered
72,000 special interest aliens on America's border over the
past 2 years, many from the Middle East.
Multiple Customs and Border Protection reports of
apprehensions between ports of entry from October 21 to October
23, encountered 659 from Iran, 538 from Syria, 139 from Yemen,
123 from Iraq, and 164 from Lebanon.
The ease with which Iran can exploit our open borders
should not be underestimated, but we also should not forget
that they were already here and expanding an already-
established operational presence.
In fact, the first external assassination plot, carried out
by agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran, took place outside
our Nation's capital in July 1980.
The Islamic Republic is responsible for an estimated 52
attempted assassination attempts world-wide, resulting in at
least 20 opponents abroad and hundreds killed in bombings of
foreign military, diplomatic, and cultural facilities world-
wide since 1979.
Iran is clearly undeterred. It is pursuing assassination,
abduction, terrorist, cyber, and surveillance plots in
increasingly aggressive fashion. They are not paying a price
for their conduct.
As Secretary of Defense Austin testified before Congress in
March, the United States has been attacked at that time by its
surrogates 83 times since January 2021, resulting in only 4
responses.
In just the last week, Iranian surrogates have conducted 13
attacks against U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq without response.
As a matter of fact, they're being rewarded. Iran has
received a total of $90 billion in previously-sanctioned
exports and ransom payments since 2021.
The ultimate measure of any policy are the results--Hamas
abhorrent terrorist attack on Israel resulted in the deadliest
day of history and the deadliest terrorist attack on American
citizens since 9/11.
The failure of the administration around appeasement
policies resulted in Israel's only declaration of war since
1973.
We now stand on the precipice of a regional conflict which
radically increases the threat to Americans abroad and here at
home.
As a result, I recommend the following: Disrupt active
operational cells and supporting cyber assets; degrade command,
control, and communications infrastructure here and abroad;
deny their funds and reinstate any statutory sanctions imposed
with respect to Iran that were waived, suspended, reduced, or
otherwise relieved; increase assets required to identify
existing infrastructure within the United States; protect all
former government officials and dissidents targeted by the
Islamic Republic; leverage existing counterintelligence
authorities to accelerate operational activity and disrupt
hostile intelligence threats, especially in the cyber domain;
preserve the capabilities of FISA's section 702 with the
necessary reforms to protect the liberties of Americans; last,
secure our border by enacting H.R. 2.
I thank you and look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Greenway follows:]
Prepared Statement of Robert Greenway
October 25, 2023
Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, Members of the committee:
My name is Robert Greenway. I am the director of the Center for
National Defense at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in
this testimony are my own and should not be construed as representing
any official position of The Heritage Foundation, the Department of
Defense, the United States Army, or any other organization.
The risk from the Islamic Republic of Iran--and those acting on
their behalf--has expanded as has the scope and scale of the terrorism
it has long sponsored. This risk has increased dramatically in response
to the dismantling of U.S. deterrence since the Biden administration
initiated its policy of appeasement beginning in January 2021.\1\
Despite Iran's escalation and warnings from policy experts that
pursuing a return to a flawed and already expiring nuclear deal would
prove disastrous, President Biden shifted American policy from pressure
to accommodation in hopes of facilitating the restoration of the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ President Joe Biden, ``There's a smarter way to be tough on
Iran,'' CNN, updated September 13, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/
13/opinions/smarter-way-to-be-tough-on-iran-joe-biden/index.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tehran's escalation reached its apogee last week. At least 1,300
Israelis were killed, 3,000 wounded, and approximately 200 hostages
taken as Hamas terrorists carried out an unprecedented, multi-front
attack on Israel at daybreak on October 7. Covered by over 2,500
rockets, dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily-fortified
border in several locations by air, land, and sea, catching Israel and
the United States off-guard a day after the 50th anniversary of the
1973 Yom Kippur War and during a religious holiday. Israelis were not
the only victims, 31 Americans were killed and a dozen held hostage
making it the deadliest terror attack in U.S. history since September
11, 2001. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force
helped plan and finally approved the operation by Hamas, an
organization funded, trained, equipped, and supported by the Islamic
Republic of Iran.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Summer Said, Benoit Faucon, and Stephen Kalin, ``Iran Helped
Plot Attack on Israel over Several Weeks,'' The Wall Street Journal,
October 8, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Israel mobilizes its reserves in preparation for a ground
offensive, former Hamas leader abroad Khaled Mashal published an
announcement on October 10 calling on the global Muslim community to
join the battle for Al-Aqsa Mosque and provide economic aid to the Gaza
Strip. Hamas published an announcement on October 12 calling on all
those with weapons in the West Bank to join the war against Israel.
Both statements echo Hamas's October 10 formal announcement calling on
the Palestinians, Israel's Arabs, and the Arab and Muslim communities
world-wide to mount a wide-scale uprising and to advance toward the
borders of Israel this past Friday, October 13.\3\ During a visit to
Beirut on October 12, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
publicly stated that the Islamic Republic's other proxies will respond
to Israel's bombing of Gaza, escalating the conflict regionally.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Middle East Media Research Institute, ``Hamas Declares Friday,
October 13, As General Mobilization Day for `Al-Aqsa Flood Operation,'
Urges West Bank, Jerusalem Palestinians to Join Massive Rallies and
Confront Israeli Soldiers,'' Special Dispatch No. 10849, October 10,
2023.
\4\ Jeremy Quinn, ``Iran's Foreign Minister Says Israel `Will
Receive a Response' from Other Terror Groups over Gaza Strikes,''
National Review Online, October 12, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This has been a predictable trajectory. On March 28, Secretary of
Defense Lloyd Austin and then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Mark Milley testified before Congress that U.S. forces had been
attacked by Iranian-backed surrogates 83 times since 2021 and had
responded on only 4 occasions, reflecting the erosion of deterrence in
the region.\5\ In just the last week, there have been 9 attacks
perpetrated by Iranian-backed surrogates against U.S. Military forces
in Iraq in Syria.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Marc Rod, ``Biden administration has only launched four `major
responses' to Iranian-backed attacks on U.S. forces, Austin says.''
Jewish Insider, March 29, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have directly funded the world's largest state sponsor of
terrorism. Since 2021, the Biden administration has provided
unprecedented resources to the Islamic Republic.\6\ As of September 4,
2023, Iranian crude exports flowed between 1.4 million and 1.9 million
barrels per day.\7\ The Trump administration's maximum pressure
campaign, by contrast, dramatically reduced Tehran's oil exports to a
few hundred thousand barrels per day.\8\ This is also a violation not
only of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA), but also
of other U.S. sanctions law requiring the imposition of sanctions on
entities involved in the transactions. In exchange for the release of
five U.S. hostages, the United States would release unnamed Iranian
nationals imprisoned in the United States and authorize the transfer of
$6 billion in funds from South Korea to Qatar. In addition, the Biden
administration has permitted Iraq to pay for Iranian electricity it
doesn't need, providing some $10 billion to cash-strapped Tehran.\9\
The Islamic Republic of Iran's total revenue derived during Biden's
tenure is estimated to be from $81 billion to $90.7 billion, compared
to less than $8 billion in 2020.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Alaric Nightingale, ``Iran's Booming Oil Flows Surge Above 2
Million Barrels a Day,'' Bloomberg, August 21, 2023, https://
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-21/iran-s-booming-oil-flows-
surge-above-2-million-barrels-a-day?sref=3OIZCXOE.
\7\ Sharon Cho, Serene Cheong, and Anthony Di Paola, ``Iran's
Booming Oil Exports Are Poised to Slow for Rest of Year,'' Bloomberg,
September 4, 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-04/
iran-s-booming-oil-exports-are-poised-to-slow-for-rest-of-
year?embedded-checkout=true.
\8\ Alex Lawler, ``As Trump's sanctions bite, Iran's oil exports
slide further in June,'' Reuters, June 24, 2019, https://
www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-iran-exports-idUSKCN1TP1F0, and Grant
Smith, Anthony Di Paola, and Ben Bartenstein, ``For Global Oil Markets,
a US-Iran Deal Is Already Happening,'' Bloomberg, August 25, 2023.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-25/for-global-oil-
markets-a-us-iran-deal-is-already-happening.
\9\ Agence France Presse, ``Iraq Says in Touch with US Over Paying
for Iranian Gas,'' August 1, 2023.
\10\ Saeed Ghasseminejad, ``The Monetary Value of Relaxed Oil
Sanctions Enforcement by the Biden Administration,'' Foundation for the
Defense of Democracies, September 28, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The threat is not limited to the Middle East. The U.S. Border
Patrol has encountered 72,823 ``special interest aliens'' on America's
borders over the past 2 years, many from the Middle East. Multiple
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports of apprehensions between
ports of entry between October 2021 and October 2023 shows that agents
encountered 6,386 nationals from Afghanistan in that period, 3,153 from
Egypt, 659 from Iran, 538 from Syria, 139 from Yemen, 123 from Iraq,
164 from Lebanon, 1,613 from Pakistan, 15,594 from Mauritania, 13,624
from Uzbekistan, and 30,830 from Turkey.\11\ The ease with which Iran
can exploit our open borders should not be underestimated, but we also
should not forget that they were already here and are expanding but not
establishing an operational presence.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ Adam Shaw, Bill Melugin, and Griff Jenkins, ``Thousands of
`special interest aliens' from Middle East countries stopped at
southern border since 2021: data,'' Fox News, October 10, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Islamic Republic has also succeeded in obtaining unprecedented
access to and influence over the U.S. administration's policy toward
Tehran. At least three of the people selected by the Islamic Republic's
Foreign Ministry were top aides to Robert Malley, the Biden
administration's special envoy on Iran, who has been on leave following
the suspension of his security clearance. Another remains employed by
the Defense Department.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Jay Solomon, ``Inside Iran's Influence Operations,'' SEMAFOR,
September 29, 2023.
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As of August 2022, the Islamic Republic had assassinated at least
20 opponents abroad and killed hundreds in bombings of foreign
military, diplomatic, and cultural facilities. It targeted \13\
Americans, Europeans, Latin Americans, Israelis, and Arabs as well as
Iranian opposition members \14\ living abroad, according to U.S.,\15\
Canadian,\16\ European,\17\ Israeli,\18\ and other government
reports.\19\ Research indicates there have been at least 52 attacks or
plots.\20\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Ioan Pop and Mitchell D. Silber, ``Iran and Hezbollah's Pre-
Operational Modus Operandi in the West,'' Studies in Conflict and
Terrorism, Vol. 44, No. 2 (2021).
\14\ Saeid Golkar, ``Iran's Intelligence Organizations and
Transnational Suppression,'' Washington Institute for Near East Policy,
Policy Watch No. 3517, August 5, 2021.
\15\ Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Annual Threat
Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, February 7, 2022;
``Escalating Tensions Between the United States and Iran Pose Potential
Threats to the Homeland,'' Joint Intelligence Bulletin, January 8,
2020; Judith Yaphe, ``Iranian Support for Terrorism in 1987,'' U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate for Intelligence, Terrorism
Review, February 25, 1988, declassified and approved for release June
1999; U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for
Counterterrorism, Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1991, April 1992; U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency, Director of Central Intelligence, ``Iran's
Use of Terrorism,'' Interagency Intelligence Assessment, September
1987, declassified in part, sanitized copy approved for release
December 4, 2013; and testimony of James R. Clapper, director of
national intelligence, in hearing, Current and Projected National
Security Threats to the United States, Select Committee on
Intelligence, U.S. Senate, 112th Congress, 2d Session, January 31,
2012.
\16\ Shane Harris, Souad Mekhennet, and Yeganeh Torbati, ``Rise in
Iranian assassination, kidnapping plots alarms Western officials,'' The
Washington Post, December 1, 2022.
\17\ Press release, ``Iran: EU sanctions perpetrators of serious
human rights violations,'' Council of the European Union, October 17,
2022, and press release, ``Fight against terrorism: Council renews the
designations on the EU terrorist list and adds two Iranian individuals
and one Iranian entity in response to recent foiled attacks on European
soil,'' Council of the European Union, January 9, 2019.
\18\ Yoram Schweitzer, Anat Shapira, and Sima Shione, ``Increased
Iranian Terrorist Activities: Emphasis on Israeli and Jewish Targets,''
Institute for National Security Studies Insight No. 1672, December 19,
2022.
\19\ Matthew Levitt, ``Iran's Deadly Diplomats,'' Combating
Terrorism Center at West Point, CTC Sentinel, Vol. 11, No. 7 (August
2018), and Andrew Hanna and Garrett Nada, ``Timeline: Iran's
Assassinations and Plots,'' U.S. Institute of Peace, updated August 17,
2022.
\20\ Freedom House, ``Iran: Transnational Repression Case Study,''
Special Report, 2021.
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Iranian plots have forced U.S. and European governments to
reconsider long-held assumptions \21\ regarding the constraints
governing Iranian external operations.\22\ Following the 2011 Arbabsiar
plot to bomb the Cafe Milano in Washington, DC,\23\ to kill the Saudi
Ambassador without regard for collateral deaths, then-Director of
National Intelligence James Clapper testified before Congress that the
plot ``shows that some Iranian officials--probably including Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei--have changed their calculus and are now more
willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response to real
or perceived U.S. actions that threaten the regime.''\24\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\21\ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism, ``Select
Iran-Sponsored Operational Activity in Europe, 1979-2018,'' July 5,
2018.
\22\ Matthew Levitt, `` `Fighters Without Borders'--Forecasting New
Trends in Iran Threat Network Foreign Operations Tradecraft,''
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, CTC Sentinel, Vol. 13, No. 2
(February 2020).
\23\ Press release, ``Manssor Arbabsiar Sentenced in New York City
Federal Court to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiring with Iranian
Military Officials to Assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the
United States,'' U.S. Department of Justice, May 30, 2013.
\24\ Greg Miller, ``Iran, perceiving threat from West, willing to
attack on U.S. soil, U.S. intelligence report finds,'' The Washington
Post, January 21, 2012, and Clapper testimony, January 31, 2012.
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In November 2022, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned lawmakers of
increasing threats to Americans from Iran, suggesting that ``the
Iranian regime across multiple vectors has become more aggressive, more
brazen and more dangerous'' over the preceding 18 months.\25\ National
Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid reinforced Director
Wray's warnings, telling Congress that the regime ``raises significant
concerns from a security perspective'' both at home and in the Middle
East.\26\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\25\ Marc Rod, ``FBI's Wray Warns That Iran `Has Become More
Aggressive, More Brazen, More Dangerous' '' Jewish Insider, November
16, 2022, and ``Statement of Christopher A. Wray, Director, Federal
Bureau of Investigation Before the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, at a hearing entitled ``Threats to
the Homeland, presented November 17, 2022.''
\26\ ``U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government
Affairs, Annual Threat Assessment to the Homeland, Statement for the
Record, Ms. Christine Abizaid, Director, National Counterterrorism
Center, November 17, 2022.''
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In fact, the first external assassination plot carried out by
agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place outside our Nation's
capital. In July 1980, Iranian agents recruited David Belfield (aka
Dawud Salahuddin), an American convert to Shiite Islam, to assassinate
former Iranian diplomat Ali Akbar Tabatabai in Bethesda, Maryland.\27\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\27\ Hearing, Iranian Terror Operations on American Soil,
Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management and
Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Committee on
Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, 112th Congress, 1st
Session, October 26, 2011.
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The most recent and explicit threats to us and other current and
former U.S. officials followed the January 3, 2020, strike that
resulted in the death of IRGC Major General Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad
International Airport while he was planning imminent operations against
U.S. forces and diplomatic facilities. Soleimani was commander of the
Quds Force, one of five branches of the IRGC subordinate to Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei. While this strike was used specifically as
justification for retaliation against U.S. officials judged by Iran to
have been responsible for the operation, it was hardly the first time
that threats have been made against current and former U.S. officials
that Iran has perceived as advocating or pursuing policies that it
views as hostile.\28\
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\28\ Udit Banerjea, ``Revolutionary Intelligence: The Expanding
Intelligence Role of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,'' Journal
of Strategic Security, Vol. 8, No. 3 (2015); Matthew Levitt, ``Iranian
State Sponsorship of Terror: Threatening U.S. Security, Global
Stability, and Regional Peace,'' Testimony before the Subcommittee on
Middle East and Central Asia and Subcommittee on International
Terrorism and Nonproliferation, Committee on International Relations,
U.S. House of Representatives, February 16, 2005, and Daniel Coats,
director of national intelligence, ``Statement for the Record,
Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community,''
January 29, 2019.
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Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed ``harsh revenge'' in the
immediate aftermath of the strike against Soleimani. On December 6,
2020, Khamenei posted on Twitter that ``[t]hose who ordered the murder
of General Soleimani as well as those who carried this out should be
punished. This revenge will certainly happen at the right time.''\29\
How he and other Iranian officials maintain U.S. social media accounts
in violation of Twitter's policies \30\ and U.S. law \31\ is difficult
to understand.
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\29\ Tweet from @khamenei_ir, December 16, 2020.
\30\ Twitter violent threats policy, https://help.twitter.com/en/
rules-and-policies/violent-threats-glorification.
\31\ 18 U.S.C. 875.
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Other Iranian officials have followed suit. IRGC chief General
Hossein Salami publicly stated, ``We will target those who were
directly or indirectly involved in the martyrdom of [Soleimani].''
Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of
Soleimani's assassination, stated that former President Donald Trump
must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge. On
November 15, 2021, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh
stated, ``The basic principle in the foreign policy of the Islamic
Republic of Iran was formed after the cowardly assassination of
(Soleimani): The action taken by the perpetrators and advisers of this
cowardly act will not go unpunished.''\32\
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\32\ Reuters, ``Iran vows revenge for Soleimani killing if Trump
not put on trial,'' January 3, 2022.
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Specific threats against U.S. officials deemed by Iran to be
responsible for Soleimani's death have been increasingly specific,
credible, and imminent. The threats include efforts by Iran to inspire
and celebrate ``lone wolf'' actors whose activities, by their nature,
are hard to detect and preempt.\33\
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\33\ Jana Winter, ``U.S. Government warns that Iran may try to kill
American officials as revenge for killing top general,'' Yahoo News,
updated July 13, 2022.
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January 2023.--An IRGC video was posted to social media \34\
associated with the IRGC. It explicitly threatens former U.S.
officials (including myself) with imminent assassination by
drone, sniper fire, bomb, lethal injection, or stabbing in
retaliation for the strike against Qassem Soleimani.
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\34\ Tweet from @Terror_Alarm, ``#Breaking: Iranian IRGC threatens
to assassinate Trump, other former US officials, using #Shahid drones
and Russian#Novichok agent, in a new video published on social media
today,'' posted January 8, 2023.
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January 2023.--A social media account located in Iran and
presumably affiliated with the regime posted mug shots \35\ of
26 current and former officials (including myself) as ``most
wanted fugitives'' and stating, ``There is no night that we
sleep without thinking about you . . . Revenge is near Very
near!''
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\35\ Tweet from @hadis_rah, ``There is no night that we sleep
without thinking about you . . . Revenge is near Very near!'' posted
January 3, 2023.
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March 2022.--Police body camera footage obtained by local
news outlet KLAS showed Nika Nikoubin, 22, confessing that she
stabbed her date in the neck in a Las Vegas-area hotel room
because she wanted to ``spill American blood.'' Asked by the
officer why she attacked her date, Nikoubin, then a student at
UCLA, said it was to avenge the death of Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani.\36\
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\36\ David Charns, `` `Somebody on American soil should die,' Woman
admits to `revenge' stabbing in Las Vegas-area hotel for death of
Iranian leader,'' KLAS, posted December 15, 2022.
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August 2022.--Stockholm police destroyed a bag containing
explosives that was found in a park in the Swedish capital
threatening a 5-day Culture Festival featuring Iranian pop
singer Ebi, whose real name is Ebrahim Hamedi and who is a
known Iranian dissident.\37\
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\37\ Reuters and Associated Press, ``Bomb Found Outside Swedish
Festival Where Iranian Dissident Played,'' Haaretz, August 22, 2022.
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August 2022.--Hadi Matar stabbed novelist Salman Rushdie
multiple times as Rushdie was about to give a public lecture at
the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York. The 24-
year-old Iranian American suspect was arrested at the scene and
was charged the following day with assault and attempted
murder.\38\
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\38\ Scott Wilson, ``Grand jury indicts Salman Rushdie's alleged
attacker,'' The Washington Post, August 18, 2022.
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August 2022.--Khalid Mehdiyev was pulled over a block from
Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad's home the same day after
failing to stop at a stop sign. Mehdiyev was earlier caught on
camera outside the home of Alinejad, who believes the man was
there to kill her. Police found an AK-47 in his car. Mehdiyev
is now facing multiple Federal charges, including criminal
possession of a machine gun.\39\
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\39\ Complaint, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New
York, 22 MAG 6185, Case 1:22-mj-06185-UA, filed July 29, 2022.
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April 2022.--Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said
the Government wanted Haider Ali and Arian Taherzadeh--who were
arrested on charges of impersonating Federal law enforcement,
specifically with the Department of Homeland Security--held in
jail while they await trial. Taherzadeh, 40, and Ali, 35, were
charged in what prosecutors described as a ruse that started in
February 2020 and ended only after a postal inspector came
across the pair while investigating an unrelated case. Federal
law enforcement officials remain uncertain about what motivated
the men or what they wanted in return as they, according to
prosecutors, ``ingratiated themselves with and infiltrated''
Secret Service agents and DHS personnel who lived in their D.C.
apartment building. The men were in possession of a weapons
cache, a high-powered telescope, surveillance equipment,
documents pointing to false names and other fake identities,
access to significant financial resources, and, in Ali's case,
visas for travel to Iran according to media accounts of the
case.\40\ The men pleaded guilty to Federal conspiracy and
other charges later in 2022 and are awaiting sentencing.\41\
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\40\ Complaint, The United States District Court for the District
of Columbia, Crim No.: 22-cr-133 (CKK), April 6, 2022.
\41\ Press release, ``D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Out
Conspiracy to Impersonate Federal Law Enforcement Officer,'' U.S.
Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia,
August 1, 2022.
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January 2022.--Iran imposed sanctions on dozens more
Americans over the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani in
a drone strike. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the 51 \42\
Americans had been targeted for what it called ``terrorism''
and human rights violations. An additional 61 were sanctioned
in July.\43\
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\42\ Reuters, ``Iran sanctions 51 Americans over the 2020 killing
of top general Qassem Soleimani,'' January 8, 2022.
\43\ Reuters, ``Iran sanctions 61 more Americans as nuclear talks
hit impasse,'' July 16, 2022.
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October 2021.--According to court documents, beginning in
October 2021, ``Shahram Poursafi, aka Mehdi Rezayi, 45, of
Tehran, Iran, attempted to arrange the murder of former
National Security Advisor John Bolton, likely in retaliation
for the January 2020 death of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps--Qods Force (IRGC-QF) commander Qasem Soleimani.''
Working on behalf of the IRGC-QF, Poursafi tried to pay people
inside the United States $300,000 to carry out the
assassination in Washington, DC, or Maryland, according to the
U.S. Department of Justice.\44\
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\44\ Press release, ``Member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) Charged with Plot to Murder the Former National Security
Advisor,'' U.S. Department of Justice, August 10, 2022.
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August 2021.--Hackers sponsored by the Iranian government
attempted a cyber attack against Boston Children's Hospital
that threatened to disrupt services to patients according to
FBI Director Christopher Wray.\45\
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\45\ Nate Raymond, ``Iranian-backed hackers targeted Boston
Children's Hospital, FBI chief says,'' Reuters, June 1, 2022.
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July 2021.--The Department of Justice charged four Iranians
with conspiring to kidnap an Iranian American journalist and
dissident, Masih Alinejad, living in Brooklyn. The four men
were charged with conspiracy to kidnap, violating U.S.
sanctions on Iran, money laundering, and bank and wire fraud.
They faced a lifetime in prison if apprehended and convicted on
all charges. The indictment, unsealed in a New York Federal
court, identified the conspirators by name. Alireza Shavaroghi
was an intelligence official living in Iran who oversaw the
operation. Mahmoud Khazein, Kiya Sadeghi, and Omid Noori were
``intelligence assets'' who worked under Farahani. The
indictment also named a female accomplice: Niloufar
Bahadorifar, age 46, who allegedly ``provided financial
services'' to the plotters while living in California. She was
arrested on July 1 and arraigned before a Federal judge on July
8. Bahadorifar was charged with violating U.S. sanctions on
Iran, money laundering, and bank and wire fraud. The four other
Iranians ``remain at large,'' the U.S. Attorney's Office for
the Southern District of New York said in a statement on July
13.\46\
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\46\ Press release. ``Iranian Intelligence Officials Indicted on
Kidnapping Conspiracy Charges,'' U.S. Department of Justice, July 13,
2021, and press release, ``Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Kidnapping
Conspiracy Charges Against an Iranian Intelligence Officer and Members
of an Iranian Intelligence Network,'' U.S. Department of Justice, U.S.
Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, July 13, 2021.
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March 2021.--Iran has made threats against Fort McNair and
against the Army's Vice Chief of Staff according to the
Associated Press, citing two senior U.S. intelligence
officials. Reportedly, communications intercepted by the
National Security Agency in January showed that Iran's
Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting ``USS Cole-style
attacks'' against the Army post, referring to the October 2000
suicide attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the
Navy destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing
17 sailors.\47\
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\47\ James LaPorta, ``AP sources: Iran threatens US Army post and
top general,'' Associated Press, March 21, 2021.
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January 2021.--Iran requested Interpol to issue a ``red
notice'' for the arrest of President Trump and 47 other U.S.
officials (including myself), citing the targeted killing of
Qassem Soleimani, a powerful Iranian general. This was the
second time Iran asked for help in detaining the U.S. President
and other officials.\48\
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\48\ Bill Chappell, ``Iran Renews Interpol Request to Arrest Trump,
Other U.S. Officials,'' National Public Radio, January 5, 2021.
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September 2020.--U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks
was reportedly an Iranian assassination target. According to
news reports, the United States claimed Iran was considering
several options as retaliation for the U.S. killing of General
Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.\49\
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\49\ Nahal Toosi and Natasha Bertrand, ``Officials: Iran weighing
plot to kill U.S. Ambassador to South Africa,'' Politico, September 13,
2020.
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June 2020.--Iran issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol
for help in detaining former President Trump and dozens of
other current and former U.S. officials that it believes
carried out the strike that killed a top Iranian general in
Baghdad according to Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr as
reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.\50\
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\50\ Reuters, ``Iran issues warrant for Trump over killing of top
general,'' June 29, 2020.
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November 2019.--Masoud Molavi Vardanjani, an Iranian
dissident, was shot dead in Istanbul. Turkish and U.S.
officials said that Iran appeared to be behind the
assassination. ``Given Iran's history of targeted
assassinations of Iranian dissidents and the methods used in
Turkey, the United States Government believes that Iran's
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) was directly
involved in Vardanjani's killing,'' a senior administration
official told Reuters in April 2020.\51\
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\51\ Humeyra Pamuk, ``U.S. believes Iran was `directly involved' in
killing of Iranian dissident in Turkey,'' Reuters, April 1, 2020.
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October 2018.--Habib Jabor, the leader of an Iranian
dissident group (the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation
of Ahwaz, or ASMLA) based in Copenhagen, was reportedly the
target of an assassination plot according to Denmark's
intelligence agency. A Norwegian citizen of Iranian descent had
taken photographs and watched Jabor's home in Ringsted, a town
nearly 37 miles southwest of Copenhagen. The suspect was
arrested in Sweden on October 21 and extradited to Denmark.\52\
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\52\ Emil Gjerding Nielson and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, ``Iranian
spy service suspected of assassination plot in Denmark: security
chief,'' Reuters, October 30, 2018.
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June 2018.--An Iranian diplomat was convicted of a plot to
bomb a big French rally held by an exiled opposition group at
which Americans were present. Assadollah Assadi, 49, who worked
at the Iranian embassy in Vienna, was given a 20-year jail term
by the court in Antwerp, Belgium. It was the first time an
Iranian official had faced such charges in the European Union
since the 1979 revolution. Three others were also convicted.
They were arrested during a joint operation by German, French,
and Belgian police. Tehran insists the plot was a fabrication.
Tens of thousands of people attended the June 2018 rally
outside Paris, including former New York City Mayor Rudy
Giuliani.\53\
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\53\ BBC News, ``France bomb plot: Iran diplomat Assadollah Assadi
sentenced to 20 years,'' February 4, 2021.
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October 2011.--United States officials uncovered a plot tied
to the Iranian government to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel
al-Jubeir in the United States. The Federal Bureau of
Investigation named the case Operation Red Coalition. Iranian
nationals Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri were charged on
October 11, 2011, in Federal court in New York with plotting to
assassinate Al-Jubeir with the cooperation of narco-trafficking
criminal organizations. According to U.S. officials, the two
planned to kill Al-Jubeir at Washington's Cafe Milano
restaurant with a bomb and subsequently to bomb the Saudi
embassy and the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC. Arbabsiar
was arrested on September 29, 2011, at John F. Kennedy
International Airport in New York while Shakuri remained at
large. On October 24, 2011, Arbabsiar pleaded not guilty. In
May 2013, after pleading guilty, Arbabsiar was sentenced to 25
years imprisonment.\54\
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\54\ Press release, ``Man Pleads Guilty in New York to Conspiring
with Iranian Military Officials to Assassinate Saudi Arabian ambassador
to the United States,'' U.S. Department of Justice, October 17, 2012;
Press release, ``Treasury Sanctions Five Individuals Tied to Iranian
Plot to Assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United
States,'' U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 11, 2011; ``General
Notice: Renewal of Final Designations, Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc.
Act 2010,'' Her Majesty's Treasury Department, October 10, 2012; and
``Two Men Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate Saudi Arabian
ambassador to the United States,'' U.S. Department of Justice, October
11, 2011.
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This list is illustrative but not exhaustive. Iran's increasingly
and uninterrupted provocations reflect that it is undeterred--and even
emboldened to take increasingly hostile actions.\55\
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\55\ Hanna and Nada, ``Timeline: Iran's Assassinations and Plots.''
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White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the
United States will ``protect and defend its citizens'' after Iran
purported to impose sanctions on 52 Americans and that ``as Iran's
proxy militias continue to attack American troops in the Middle East,
and as Iranian officials threaten to carry out terror operations inside
the United States and elsewhere around the world . . . [m]ake no
mistake: the United States of America will protect and defend its
citizens. This includes those serving the United States now and those
who formerly served.''\56\
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\56\ ``Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on
Iranian Threats and Provocations Against American Citizens,'' The White
House, January 9, 2022.
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Former high-profile officials encompassed within Iran's specific
threats have been provided personal security details. This includes
former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and former Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo, Former Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook, former National
Security Advisors John Bolton and Robert O'Brien, and former U.S.
Central Command General (Retired) Kenneth McKenzie.\57\
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\57\ Matthew Lee, ``US extends protection for ex-Trump aides from
Iran threats,'' Associated Press, January 10, 2023.
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The State Department notified Congress that both Pompeo and Hook
were still both subject to a ``serious and credible threat from a
foreign power or agent of a foreign power'' stemming from their work
while in Government. The State Department says it's paying more than $2
million per month to provide 24-hour security to former Secretary of
State Pompeo and former Special Envoy Hook, both of whom face ``serious
and credible'' threats from Iran.\58\
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\58\ Matthew Lee, ``US pays $2M a month to protect Pompeo, aide
from Iran threat.'' Associated Press, March 12, 2022.
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It is clear that there are specific, credible threats against
former U.S. Government official and their families from Iran and those
inspired to act on Iran's behalf. This necessitates urgent steps to
improve their physical and cyber security. At the moment, Iran is
clearly undeterred. It is pursuing assassination,\59\ abduction,\60\
terrorist,\61\ cyber,\62\ \63\ \64\ and surveillance \65\ plots in an
increasingly aggressive fashion. Iran may choose to prioritize targets
that lack the protection afforded to others on its hit list.
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\59\ Vanguard News, ``How we saved Dasuki IBB, from assassins--
DSS,'' February 21, 2013.
\60\ Library of Congress, Federal Research Division, Iran's
Ministry of Intelligence and Security: A Profile, December 2012.
\61\ Matthew Levitt, ``Hizballah and the Qods Force in Iran's
Shadow War with the West,'' Washington Institute for Near East Policy,
Policy Focus No. 123, January 29, 2013.
\62\ Press release, ``Treasury Sanctions Iranian Organizations and
Individuals Supporting Intelligence and Cyber Targeting of U.S.
Persons,'' U.S. Department of the Treasury, February 13, 2019.
\63\ Press release, ``Former U.S. Counterintelligence Agent Charged
with Espionage on Behalf of Iran; Four Iranians Charged with a Cyber
Campaign Targeting Her Former Colleagues,'' U.S. Department of Justice,
February 13, 2019.
\64\ Press release, ``Two Iranian Nationals Charged for Cyber-
Enabled Disinformation and Threat Campaign Designed to Influence the
2020 U.S. Presidential Election,'' U.S. Department of Justice, November
18, 2021.
\65\ Press release, ``Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Kidnapping
Conspiracy Charges Against an Iranian Intelligence Officer and Members
of an Iranian Intelligence Network.''
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Hamas' abhorrent terrorist attack on Israel resulting the deadliest
day in their history and the second-most deadly terrorist attack on
American citizens since September 11, 2001 reflect the failure of the
administration's Iran appeasement policy and has resulted in Israel's
only declaration of war since 1973 and we now stand on the precipice of
a regional conflict.
In August, I concluded that we have not faced a similar period of
risk to U.S. interests in the Middle East since the turmoil following
the Iranian Revolution, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and storming of
the Grand Mosque in 1979.\66\ If we fail to restore deterrence and the
conflict in Israel becomes regional or global, Americans at home and
abroad will be at unprecedented risk. I appreciate all the efforts
taken to protect U.S. citizens and former Government officials like me,
but I also judge that the measures taken are no longer adequate. More
must be done.
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\66\ Robert Greenway, ``Strength in Unity: A Sustainable US-Led
Regional Security Construct in the Middle East,'' Hudson Institute,
August 2023.
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Recommendations:
Increase assets required to identify existing infrastructure
within the United States.
Provide protection to all former Government officials and
dissidents targeted by the Islamic Republic (including the
appropriations required).
Disrupt active operational cells, physically and in the
cyber domain.
Degrade their command, control, and communications
infrastructure.
Establish a joint task force encompassing Justice, the FBI,
the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security
Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, State and local
law enforcement, our intelligence community, and our partners
and allies including Five Eyes Alliance (FVEY) partners and
Israel. This could be built upon the foundations of Joint
Terrorism Task Forces.
Leverage existing counterintelligence authorities to
accelerate operational activity to disrupt hostile intelligence
threats, especially in the cyber domain.
Preserve the capabilities of FISA Section 702 with necessary
reforms to protect the liberties of Americans.
Enact H.R. 2 to secure our border and reestablish
territorial integrity.
Reinstate any statutory sanctions imposed with respect to
Iran pursuant to section 1244(c)(1) or 1247(a) of the Iran
Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C.
8803(c)(1) and 8806(a)), or section 1245(d)(1) of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C.
8513a(d)(1)), that were waived, suspended, reduced, or
otherwise relieved pursuant to an agreement between the United
States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Chairman Green. Thank you, Mr. Greenway, for your
testimony, and I now recognize Mr. Warrick for 5 minutes to
summarize his opening statement.
STATEMENT OF THOMAS S. WARRICK, NONRESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW,
ATLANTIC COUNCIL, SCOWCROFT MIDDLE EAST SECURITY INITIATIVE
Mr. Warrick. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Thompson, Members
of the committee, thank you for the honor to testify today. I
would start, like my colleagues here, with condemning the
October 7 Hamas terrorist attack which has been discussed at
length.
Last week, President Biden and other U.S. Government
officials have been talking with the Israeli Prime Minister and
others about the future of Gaza. It's important, I think we
should all agree, that Iran should not determine the future of
Gaza.
Second, I want to salute the efforts by the Iranian people,
women and men, to fight for life, freedom, and justice. The
Iranian regime has chosen to make the United States an
adversary. The Iranian people want to make different choices.
Let me make four major points. First, Iran and its proxies
are currently carrying out a campaign of hybrid warfare against
the United States. The director of national intelligence said
the same thing in the latest Annual Threat Assessment.
Second, we need to address the threat from the Iranian
regime on a sustained, bipartisan basis. This is how we won the
Cold War and how we approach China today.
For Iran, we need a sustainable, bipartisan strategy, both
defending Americans at home and turning Iran away from its
destabilizing ambitions.
Third, after October 7, we need to recognize that strategic
surprise is still possible. Even the State of Israel, with all
of its measures in place, was surprised by Hamas' attack.
The so-called ``Iron Wall'' between Israel and Gaza did not
protect Israel's citizens from the October 7 attack. The Iron
Wall was not enough. We should learn that lesson too.
Fourth, we need to understand Iran's peculiar sense of
symmetry. Iran is not incomprehensible. The Iranian regime is
not 10 feet tall, and the IRGC Quds Force, while dangerous and
committed, is not lurking behind every tree. There are numerous
examples of this in my testimony. Let me just highlight a few
in the way Iran approaches its terrorist actions against us and
our allies.
After the January 2020 strike that killed Qasem Soleimani,
the Iranian Supreme Leader ordered his Security Council to,
``strike America directly and in exact proportion to the
attack.''
In May 2018, after the United States started the maximum
pressure campaign to reduce oil exports, Iran attacked tankers
in May and June 2019, then a Saudi oil pipeline, then the Saudi
Abqaiq facilities that cut Saudi oil exports in half. In cyber
space, Stuxnet led to Iran targeting our industrial control
systems. July 2012 sanctions on U.S. banks were followed by
cyber attacks on U.S. banks. Wiper malware deleted data on
Iranian oil industry computers, so Iran deleted data on Saudi
computers.
While the United States supports human rights and freedom
in Iran--this is important--we can't be surprised and the
Iranian regime thinks it can interfere in our democracy. There
is, of course, absolutely no moral equivalency in these two
situations, none. The way to defeat the Iranian regime is to
raise our defenses so that the regime's plots fail.
Mr. Chairman, in my written testimony I go through the
three most important types of threats Iran poses:
No. 1, targeted assassinations and terrorist attacks.
No. 2, cyber attacks and cyber threats. Here is where Iran
could pull off a strategic surprise, especially against our
private sector.
No. 3, Iranian disinformation operations. This is another
area where I'm concerned Iran may pull off a strategic surprise
as we move closer to the next U.S. election.
Mr. Chairman, let me highlight seven steps I believe this
committee can take to help address Iran's threats to the
homeland:
No. 1, work toward a bipartisan consensus to address the
Iranian threat both at home and abroad.
No. 2, focus on the most significant urgent threats,
starting with increasing cybersecurity in the private sector.
This committee should lead a national debate about whether we
are devoting enough resources to cybersecurity, especially in
the private sector.
No. 3, renew the authorization of DHS's Countering Weapons
of Mass Destruction Office. This office does vital work. Iran
is one of the few countries in the world that has used chemical
weapons in the 1980's. I know this committee has done its part,
but I believe the bill is now held up in the Senate by a single
Senator. I would urge you and other Members of this committee
to engage with that Senator to break the logjam and send the
bipartisan CWMD reauthorization to the President.
No. 4, renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act,
section 702, but with changes, as my colleague Mr. Greenway has
just said. Section 702 is unequivocally the most timely,
impactful, and cost-effective authority to obtain foreign
intelligence on terrorists, spies, and weapons proliferators.
No. 5, enact the House language in the Intelligence
Authorization Act on DHS intelligence and analysis collection
authority. I'm concerned that the comparable Senate language
prohibits I&A from doing any collection whatsoever. I&A needs
to ensure it does not infringe on Constitutional rights. That
is essential. But to deny I&A any ability to collect
information goes farther than it should. The House in this
respect is correct and should stand by its provision.
No. 5, Congress should extend DHS's and FAA's authorities
to counter unmanned aerial systems. Hamas used drones to deadly
effect against the Israeli iron wall in Gaza. Iranian
operatives or its proxies might try to use UASes here in the
United States. It's vital that Congress resolves the competing
versions before these authorities expire at the end of this
year.
Finally, Congress should reauthorize the Chemical Facility
Anti-Terrorism Standard, CFATS. This expired on July 28. This
important program gives DHS the authority to enforce security
standards for the Nation's chemical plants to make it harder
for terrorists to get access to those facilities.
Here again, Mr. Chairman, you and this committee have done
your part. The bill is held up in the Senate by a single
Senator. I would urge the committee to engage with that
Senator, break this logjam, and send your bipartisan
reauthorization bill to the President right away.
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much, and I look forward to
your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Warrick follows:]
Prepared Statement of Thomas S. Warrick
October 25, 2023
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Thompson, Members of the House
Committee on Homeland Security, thank you for the honor to testify
today on the Iranian regime's threats to homeland security. I have 40
years' experience addressing challenges from Iran, starting in the
private sector in 1981 with the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal and the
aftermath of the Iran hostage crisis. I served 10 years at the U.S.
State Department, including working to counter Iranian influence. I
served more than 11 years at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
most of that as deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy,
where countering the Iranian regime's actions as the leading state-
sponsor of terrorism was one of our foremost counterterrorism
priorities. For a time, I was DHS's senior-most Iran expert. I am proud
to have served under 4 Presidents of both parties. Today, I'm a senior
fellow at the Atlantic Council and director of the Future of DHS
Project, working on a number of initiatives to strengthen the
Department of Homeland Security. I co-lead our Counterterrorism Study
Group and am the convener of the Experts' Coalition on Borders,
Immigration, and Trade. Our work supports the extraordinary efforts of
the men and women of DHS and throughout the homeland security
enterprise to keep our country safe.
how we should address iran's threat to the united states
I'm going to summarize the threats that the Iranian regime poses to
the United States homeland, but first, I would make two short points.
The Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 ranks among the world's worst
terrorist attacks in modern history. In addition to the more than 1,400
Israelis killed, at least 31 American citizen deaths make this one of
the worst terrorist attacks against Americans since the Pulse nightclub
attack in Orlando, Florida, in 2016. American resolve, as shown by the
President's and the Congress's bipartisan support for Israel, and
President Biden's deployment of two aircraft carrier battle groups to
the eastern Mediterranean, are an essential response to this terrorist
attack and a warning to Iran and Lebanese Hizballah. Americans have a
stake in what will come after Hamas's military defeat. The United
States is already in discussions with the Israelis and other allies
over the future of Gaza, to ensure these terrorist attacks do not
repeat in a few years--and to ensure that Iran does not determine the
future of Gaza. There is a role for our homeland security agencies in
supporting this. But Iran's role in funding, arming, equipping, and
helping train Hamas terrorists is something that our Government must,
and will, address.
Second, today's hearing takes place against the background of
unprecedented efforts by the Iranian people, women and men, to fight
for greater freedoms and justice against the current Iranian regime. We
should acknowledge the historic importance of this struggle, which is
led by Iranians and should have the support of all Americans. The
Iranian regime has chosen to make the United States an adversary. The
Iranian people want to make different choices.
Turning back to the subject of this hearing, I want to leave you
with four important points.
First, Iran poses a threat to the security of the United States,
including here in the homeland. We should not think of Iran as a purely
Middle Eastern security challenge. That's why today's hearing is
important. The phrase ``great power competition'' is the organizing
principle for our national security agencies, but it has its limits.
While China and Russia are ``great powers,'' and they do pose the
greatest challenges to American security, Iran is not a great power but
is nevertheless a serious challenge, and not just because of its
nuclear program and its threat to overseas American allies like Israel
and our Arab partners. Iran and its proxies are currently carrying out
a campaign of hybrid warfare against the United States and our allies.
I'm not the only one saying this: the director of national intelligence
likewise warned of Iran's hybrid approach to warfare in the 2023 Annual
Threat Assessment.
This requires vigilance here at home, including from the private
sector. North Korea is a challenge, too, but Iran poses a unique,
multi-dimensional threat that requires us to think in 3-D technicolor,
not just two-dimensional black and white. Given that chess originated
in Iran, I've often heard the criticism that the United States plays
checkers while the Iranian regime plays chess. Now is the time for the
United States and our allies to start playing three-dimensional chess.
Second, we need to address the threat from the Iranian regime on a
sustained, bipartisan basis. We will not succeed with a policy that
changes radically if the White House or the Congress changes. A
consistent, sustained, bipartisan response is how the United States won
the Cold War. It took the United States decades of sustained,
bipartisan effort, working with U.S. allies around the world, and
including efforts both at home and abroad, to win the Cold War without
a hot war with the Soviet Union. We are approaching the challenge from
China today with a similar bipartisan approach, including some
excellent work here in the Congress. We need to build a sustainable,
bipartisan strategy to address the threat from the Iranian regime. We
need to play defense by protecting the homeland, including American
citizens and the private sector, from Iran's destabilizing actions.
Both protecting Americans at home and turning Iran away from its
destabilizing ambitions and its state-sponsorship of terrorism will
require a sustained, bipartisan effort, working with U.S. allies, and
with an eye toward strengthening security, including in the private
sector.
Third, one of the lessons the United States needs to embrace after
October 7 is that strategic surprise is still possible. Even the State
of Israel, with all its focus, technology, and capabilities, was
surprised by Hamas's attack on October 7. The so-called ``Iron Wall''
between Israel and Gaza did not protect Israel's citizens from the
October 7 attack. What happened on October 7 is well past any effort to
analogize it to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. The United States is 35 times the
size of Israel. On a proportional basis, the number of Israelis killed
on October 7 is more than half the number of Americans killed during
the whole of the Vietnam War--and Israel suffered most of those deaths
in a single day. The Iron Wall was not enough--we should learn that
lesson, too. Today in the homeland security enterprise, every watch and
warning officer, and every strategic planner in the U.S. Government,
should be using red cells to look for vulnerabilities, including those
we have not focused on. The Iranian regime is precisely the kind of
threat that deserves this attention, especially in the areas of
cybersecurity and countering Iranian disinformation. I will have more
to say about these points below.
Fourth, I urge this committee to understand Iran's peculiar sense
of symmetry. Understanding Iran is a challenge, but Iran is far from
incomprehensible. Eighty-four years ago this month, Winston Churchill
famously described the Soviet Union as ``a riddle, wrapped in a
mystery, inside an enigma.'' What everyone forgets are his next words:
``Perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.''
Churchill was one of the most clear-eyed leaders in history about the
Soviet Union. We need to be equally clear-eyed about the Iranian
regime. The Iranian regime is not 10 feet tall, and the Iranian Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps' Qods Force, while dangerous and committed,
is not lurking behind every tree.
Instead, we need to understand Iran's peculiar sense of symmetry.
Let me give several examples. The day after the January 2, 2020 strike
that killed Qasim Soleimani, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamene'i gave
his Supreme National Security Council a written order to ``strike
America directly and in exact proportion to the attack,'' two sources
told the New York Times. Other Iranian military leaders made similar
statements. In May 2018, when the United States started a ``maximum
pressure'' campaign to reduce Iran's oil exports, which Iran considered
economic warfare, Iran showed it could reduce U.S. allies' ability to
export oil, first in May and June with attacks on tankers and a Saudi
pipeline, then with the September 14, 2019 Abqaiq attack that halved
Saudi oil exports.
Iran's sense of symmetry is more pronounced in cyber space. After
the ``Stuxnet'' malware that targeted Iran's Siemens industrial control
systems came to light in June 2010, Iran developed its own cyber attack
capability that it used in 2013, 3 years later, to target U.S.
infrastructure. On July 30, 2012, new U.S. sanctions targeted Iranian
banks. Two months later, Iran ramped up denial-of-service attacks,
whose main targets were--U.S. banks. In August 2012, Iran's surprise
``Shamoon'' attack deleted 35,000 hard drives at Saudi Aramco,
described as ``the biggest hack in history.'' What got less publicity
is that in early 2012, ``Wiper'' malware deleted data on Iranian Oil
Ministry and National Iranian Oil Company computers.
The symmetry can be positive and negative: When the Iran nuclear
deal was in force, Iranian cyber attacks appeared to decrease. When the
Trump administration began its 2018 ``maximum pressure'' campaign,
Iranian cyber attacks increased within 24 hours. On June 20, 2018,
after Iranian attacks on civilian tankers, President Trump retaliated
by cyber attack. Private U.S. businesses noticed a further increase in
Iranian cyber attacks.
And while the United States supports the cause of human rights and
freedom in Iran, we cannot be surprised when the Iranian regime thinks
this gives it a license to try to interfere in democratic processes
here in the United States. There is, of course, absolutely no moral
equivalency in the two situations--none. But the Iranian regime does
not think this way, so we need to be prepared. We should not be
deterred from pursuing what is right. One essential part of the
response to Iran's peculiar sense of symmetry is that we must raise our
defenses to the level where the Iranian regime's efforts to target our
security, and especially our democratic processes, all fail.
This list could go on. But while Iran and its proxies are capable
of tactical surprise, as Hamas achieved on October 7, it is possible
for the United States and our allies to put in place defensive measures
to protect the American people, and to help our allies, from the
threats that Iran poses. Later I will discuss several specific steps
Congress can take to help this.
the iranian regime's threats to the united states homeland
Let me briefly categorize the most significant threats from the
Iranian regime toward the U.S. homeland.
1. Targeted assassinations and terrorist attacks in the United
States homeland, and plots to kill or kidnap Americans here or
overseas.--The Iranian regime is responsible for plots to kill
or kidnap American citizens who are critics of the regime, and
against former American officials. There is every reason to
expect such plots to continue. Disrupting these plots will
require continued vigilance from the Federal Bureau of
Investigations (FBI), which has the lead in disrupting such
plots. Other parts of the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement
communities also play vital roles.
Cooperation among U.S. law enforcement agencies has proven
extraordinarily effective in disrupting these plots. For
example, in 2011, an extremely small number of IRGC Qods Force
(IRGC-QF) officers tried to use Mansour Arbabsiar to
assassinate Saudi Arabian ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir in a
Washington restaurant. The plot was uncovered by agents of the
Drug Enforcement Administration. The advance passenger
information systems by which Arbabsiar's travel was tracked
were developed by the Department of Homeland Security's Customs
and Border Protection. Arbabsiar was arrested by the FBI when
his flight between Mexico City and Amsterdam landed at New
York's John F. Kennedy airport. Arbabsiar pled guilty and
cooperated with authorities in helping obtain evidence against
other IRGC officers involved in the plot. He is now serving a
25-year sentence in Federal prison in Marion, Illinois.
Cooperation among our law enforcement and homeland security
agencies has proved successful at uncovering plots by Iran and
its proxies.
In a more recent example, a U.S. citizen in California, 4 Iranian
regime operatives, and an Eastern Europe criminal syndicate
were charged with attempts to kidnap and kill an American
citizen who was publicly critical of the regime's human rights
abuses. This resulted in a guilty plea on material support
charges for the one accused who was here in the United States
and the arrest of 3 members of the Eastern European crime
syndicate. Others are still wanted for their role in these
plots.
Iran's proxies Hamas and Lebanese Hizballah are also trying to
build up a presence here in the United States. Here, again,
cooperation among U.S., State, and local law enforcement has
proved effective in uncovering and disrupting such plots.
Continued vigilance will be essential.
2. Cyber threats from Iran are certain, and on-going.--The Office
of the Director of National Intelligence said in its 2023
threat assessment that ``Iran's growing expertise and
willingness to conduct aggressive cyber operations make it a
major threat to the security of U.S. and allied networks and
data. Iran's opportunistic approach to cyber attacks makes
critical infrastructure owners in the United States susceptible
to being targeted . . . ''. This is an area where Iran could
pull off a strategic surprise. Of particular concern is Iran's
willingness to target U.S. private-sector entities. Today, most
Government systems are better defended, as are the major firms
that form the backbone of America's digital economy. But the
companies that are the ``fingers'' and ``toes'' are not as well
protected. The March 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy will
help when it is fully implemented. However, since so much of
the Nation's critical cyber infrastructure is in the hands of
the private sector, we need, as a Nation, to ask if we are
adequately invested in cybersecurity.
3. Iranian disinformation operations pose an increasing
challenge.--This is an area where Iran could pull off a
strategic surprise. Early Iranian disinformation efforts were
clumsy, but their attempt to exploit racial polarization in
Florida in the 2020 election showed a significantly greater
sophistication than before. I am not as concerned about actual
Iranian threats to voting infrastructure, but Iranian
disinformation efforts in the run-up to the 2024 election are
worth our attention in order to ensure that they get exposed
and disrupted.
seven steps the u.s. congress can take
Let me close with seven ways in which Congress can help strengthen
America's defenses against today's multi-dimensional threat from Iran.
1. Work toward a bipartisan consensus to address the Iranian threat
both at home and abroad.
2. Focus on the most significant urgent threats, starting with
increasing cybersecurity in the private sector.--The
governmental security partner for most private-sector firms in
the United States is the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency (CISA). In 2021, John Katko, then the Ranking
Republican on this committee, said the Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency should play quarterback for
cybersecurity, and should be funded like one. He called for
CISA to become a $5 billion agency in 5 years. CISA is now
funded at half that level. While we focus, rightly, on specific
cyber threats like ransomware and the potential for nation-
states like China and Iran to carry out cyber attacks against
critical infrastructure, we are not engaging in the debate as
to whether we as a country are devoting the right level of
resources to cybersecurity, both the levels of private-sector
and Governmental spending. Governmental spending on
cybersecurity may be the purview of the appropriations
committees, but encouraging the private sector to do more to
protect computer systems from Iranian and other hostile attacks
is something that this committee should continue to urge as an
urgent matter.
3. Renew the authorization of DHS's Countering Weapons of Mass
Destruction office.--This office does vital work in
coordinating training and the procurement of equipment to
prevent low-probability, high-impact attacks using weapons of
mass destruction. I do not need to remind this committee that
Iran is one of the few countries in the world that has actually
used chemical weapons, during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980's.
Iran's nuclear ambitions are well past the level of technology
required to build dirty bombs--conventional explosives with
radiation enhancements. DHS needs the CWMD office re-
authorized, and it also needs an authorized Office of Health
Security. I know this committee has done its job and the bill
is now held up in the Senate, I believe by a single Senator. I
urge this committee to engage to break the logjam and send a
bipartisan reauthorization bill to the President right away.
4. Renew Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act section 702 with
changes.--As my former government colleague Jon Darby, former
director of operations at the National Security Agency, and I
wrote in The Hill in September, ``We can unequivocally state
that Section 702 is the most timely, impactful, and cost-
effective authority to obtain foreign intelligence on
terrorists, spies, weapons proliferators, cyber attackers and
nation-states that pose threats to the United States and our
allies. History will judge us harshly if we unilaterally give
up an important intelligence advantage against those who are
trying to harm us.'' I understand some in Congress have
concerns, particularly over past FBI practices, and these do
need to be addressed, but without requiring a judge to be
sitting at the elbow of every Government analyst working on
national security cases. Given the threats we face from Iran
and elsewhere, we cannot let the vital authority of section 702
lapse at the end of this year. This is the wrong time for
Congress to be sending the message said in 1929, ``Gentlemen do
not read each other's mail.''
5. Enact the House language in the Intelligence Authorization Act
on the collection authority of DHS's Office of Intelligence and
Analysis (I&A).--Section 435 of H.R. 3932 calls for an
assessment by the Inspector General of the intelligence
community on the collection authority of DHS I&A. It is
particularly concerning that the comparable Senate language
prohibits DHS I&A from doing any collection whatsoever. It is
true that DHS I&A needs to be particularly conscious about
respecting boundaries so that its actions do not infringe on
Americans' Constitutional rights to free speech and the right
to counsel, and I believe that Under Secretary Ken Wainstein
agrees with this principle. But to deny I&A any ability to
collect information relevant to border smuggling and
trafficking, for example, goes farther than it should. When
this language comes to conference between the House and the
Senate, the House should stand firm on this particular issue.
6. Extend authorities to counter unmanned aerial systems (UAS).--
Congress needs to ensure that Federal counter-UAS authorities,
which were extended in the continuing resolution, do not lapse
at the end of this year. Drones were precisely one of the
technologies that Hamas used to deadly effect against the
Israeli Iron Wall in Gaza. This committee should be concerned
about what Iranian operatives or Iranian proxies might try to
do with unmanned aerial systems here in the United States. It
is vital for the security of the homeland that Congress and the
administration resolve the competing versions of this bill
before counter-UAS authorities lapse at the end of the year.
7. Renew the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS)
program, which expired on July 28, 2023.--This important
program gives DHS the authority to enforce security standards
for the Nation's chemical plants, to make it harder for
terrorists to get access to those facilities. Here again, the
House has done its work in passing a bipartisan bill, and there
is a bipartisan bill in the Senate that is being held up, I
believe by a single Senator. I urge this committee to engage to
break the logjam and send a bipartisan reauthorization bill to
the President right away.
Mr. Chairman, I thank you and the committee for your time and look
forward to answering your questions.
Chairman Green. Thank you, Mr. Warrick.
Again, thank you to all of our witnesses. This has been
very good, very much appreciate your wisdom and years of
experience.
Members will be recognized by order of seniority for their
5 minutes of questioning, and an additional round of
questioning may be called for by all Members once everybody has
been recognized.
I now recognize myself for 5 minutes of questioning.
In 2013, Manssor Arbabsiar, an Iranian American with
familial links to high-ranking members of the Quds Force was
sentenced to 25 years in Federal Court for conspiring to
assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.
Mr. Arbabsiar and his Iranian conspirators attempted to contact
an individual they believed to be a member of a Mexican drug
cartel to coordinate the attack. This plot not only endangered
Saudi Arabia's Ambassador but also innocent lives here in the
United States.
My question is for Ambassador Sales: Our Nation is
experiencing a record number of illegal aliens attempting to
cross our Southwest Border, including special interest aliens
and known/suspected terrorists.
Do you believe the Iranian regime or its proxies could
utilize their relationships with Mexican cartels to exploit the
vulnerabilities at our Southwest Border to commit nefarious
acts here in the homeland?
Mr. Sales. Mr. Chairman, thanks for the question. I do
share that concern. The Iranian regime is persistent. They have
already tried on multiple occasions to exploit vulnerabilities
at our Southern Border to carry out acts of terrorism, the
assassination plot that you mentioned, the assassination plot
against former National Security Advisor John Bolton. They are
going to keep trying until we stop them.
Chairman Green. In the 1.7 million known gotaways--and
these are the individuals that Customs and Border Patrol
actually seize and can count. This isn't the unknown gotaways.
But in those individuals, the known gotaways, the unknown
gotaways, what guarantees do we have that Hamas hasn't already
penetrated those?
Mr. Sales. I don't think we have any guarantees, Mr.
Chairman, and I think we have to assume the worst. We know that
Iranian-linked terrorists have been found in the United States.
I mentioned Hezbollah. One hundred twenty-eight Hezbollah
operatives arrested over the years by the FBI.
Within that population of however many millions or hundreds
of thousands of known gotaways, we should not assume that they
are all perfectly clean.
Chairman Green. Take a minute, if you don't mind, and just
can you explain the relationship between the Iranian regime and
the drug cartels?
Mr. Sales. I think one of the modus operandi that the
regime is most closely associated with is hiding behind
proxies. They hide behind terror proxies in the Middle East,
such as Hezbollah, such as Iraqi militias that are currently
launching attacks on Americans, as Mr. Greenway pointed out,
but it's not just terror proxies.
They also hide behind organized crime and get them to do
their dirty work. As Ms. Alinejad pointed out, it was an
Eastern European criminal syndicate that was involved in the
attempted assassination of her. Mexican drug cartels or
suspected Mexican drug cartels involved in the assassination
plots against John Bolton and against the Saudi Ambassador.
So it's highly consistent with Iranian tradecraft to use
these sorts of proxies and hide behind them.
Chairman Green. Mr. Greenway, do you agree with the
assessment of Ambassador Sales on the potential threat at the
Southwest Border and that Iran could use that current open
border to threaten Americans here at home?
Mr. Greenway. There is no question, Mr. Chairman. Again,
they've got a stated and past record of doing exactly that.
I would also note that their surrogates and proxies and
Iran itself is engaged in criminal activity, and so it's not a
surprise that they would make common cause with other criminal
networks. They have ample opportunity if the population of
available agents that they could use in order to conduct
operational activity is expanded dramatically.
Chairman Green. I agree with some comments that the Ranking
Member made in his opening statement about current known
intelligence threats. As we've connected with CBP and their
Intelligence Division, they have made that clear.
However, I want to enter into the record by unanimous
consent their situational awareness alert that they put out
advising their people to be on the watch for these individuals,
both Hamas, and they shared Hamas patches, Hezbollah patches,
because clearly the threat is real. I'd like, with unanimous
consent, to enter this into the record.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.*
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* The information has been retained in committee files.
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I'm actually going to do something I rarely do and yield
back a little extra time. Maybe I'll give it to Mr. Ivey, but,
again, thank you for being here.
I now recognize the Ranking Member for his 5 minutes of
questioning.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you very much.
Mr. Warrick, in your opening statement, you talked about
Iran and its impact on the people of Israel. What must Congress
do, in your opinion, to support Israel in order to prevent a
wider war in the region?
Mr. Warrick. Well, I would note with great satisfaction the
measures that the Biden administration has already taken,
sending two aircraft carrier battle groups to make it very
clear to our enemies--Hezbollah, Iran, whoever they may be--
that they should take no steps to try to inflame the situation
in the Middle East beyond what it already is. That will be very
important.
I think it's also important for us to make sure that the
American people appreciate that protecting our computer
networks and cybersecurity here at home is something that's an
obligation for all of us to undertake.
The National Cybersecurity Strategy will help. It needs to
be fully funded. Yet there are still many things that Americans
can do to make sure that our defenses are so strong that no
Iranian cyber attack would be able to do damage to us. This
will take vigilance.
Then, finally, there are obviously things that we, as the
American people, need to do. As the President said, speaking
out against antisemitism and Islamophobia is actually important
for the security of the United States and American values.
I think that's something that all Americans can do as we
hope that the situation is addressed and the war that Israel
has had to declare against Hamas comes to a conclusion that
will be a better world for the Middle East.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you.
Ambassador Sales, there is significant concern about the
Iranian threat to our homeland. In your review of that threat,
how would you suggest to this committee that we address it?
Mr. Sales. Well, thanks for the question, Ranking Member
Thompson.
I think the threat is significant. We've heard about
several on-going assassination plots. I think the most
important thing that the U.S. Government and this committee can
do is reestablish deterrence.
Iran is not currently deterred from carrying out these
operations. I think that the prosecutions that have been
undertaken are all to the good. I'm grateful to the Justice
Department for pursuing the wrongdoers who are trying to shed
American blood on American soil, but we have to do more than
that.
That doesn't mean, as I said in my opening remarks, bombing
Tehran, but the United States needs to actively deter Iran,
demonstrate strength to the Iranian regime so that the regime
concludes: We have more to lose from carrying out these sorts
of operations than we have to gain from them.
Mr. Thompson. Mr. Greenway, what's your opinion on that?
Mr. Greenway. I would agree completely. I think, in the
end, a bus is easier to stop before it gets to full speed. We
were complacent before 9/11, and I think we can be accused of
being complacent now.
The threat is real. It is present, and it requires
immediate action and priority. I think we have deprioritized
the range of Iranian threats associated with the current
administration's policies. If they are corrected, we may be
able to detect the next threat before it occurs.
Mr. Thompson. Mr. Warrick.
Mr. Warrick. This echoes debates that I've had with Mr.
Greenway and Mr. Sales both. Iran did not go to our military
academies and actually doesn't respond to deterrence in the way
we teach it to our military. Strong defenses are the best way
to prevent Iranian threats from harming us. We need to elevate
our defenses here at home and to take out measures that will
deter Iran's proxies from getting involved in these matters.
But strong defenses at home are the absolute essential best
way to defeat Iranian threats to the homeland. That includes in
cybersecurity. It includes being aware of Iranian
disinformation efforts, especially during our political
campaigns. But they will stop at nothing in order to try to
continue to extend their authority over the Middle East, and
this obviously is a direct threat to Israel and to our Arab
partners.
Mr. Thompson. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Green. I thank the Ranking Member for his
questions.
I now recognize the Vice Chairman of the committee, the
gentleman from Mississippi, also from Mississippi, Mr. Guest.
Mr. Guest. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
To each of our witnesses, I want to thank you for
referencing the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, a
terrorist organization funded by Iran.
Mr. Warrick, you say in your written statement that the
Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 ranks among the worst
terrorist attack in modern history.
Mr. Greenway, you reference the attack, and you say at
least 1,200 Israelis were killed, 2,200 wounded, and
approximately 150 hostages taken as Hamas terrorists carried
out an unprecedented multifront attack on Israel at daybreak on
October 7.
Ambassador Sales, in your written testimony, you state that
this hearing is taking place in the aftermath of a horrific
terrorist attack on our ally Israel. On October 7, gunmen from
Hamas, a Palestine terrorist group that the Islamic Republic
provides with money, weapons, and training invaded Southern
Israel from the Gaza Strip. More than 1,400 men, women, and
children were mercilessly slaughtered and 200 hostages were
carried off into captivity, including infants and toddlers.
You go on to say October 7 was the deadliest day in
Israel's 75 history, more than it was the deadliest day of Jews
since the Holocaust.
Finally, you reference it was also a dark day for America,
with 30 U.S. citizens killed and an estimated 1,300 missing.
I want to take a minute first to condemn the attacks on
Israel. I also want to take a moment to condemn Members of
Congress who do not support Israel's right to defend
themselves, to defend Members of Congress who spread false
information that the hospital destroyed in Gaza was caused by
Israel when, instead, we know that our intelligence community
shows that that destruction was caused by Palestine militants.
We know Iran is an exporter of terrorists, funding
terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah. We also
know how Iran feels about America, that the Iranian regime
hates America. Iranian leaders refer to America as the Great
Satan.
We saw several years ago, after the death of General
Soleimani, that the Israeli--excuse me, the Iranian Parliament
in unison chanted ``death to America, death to America.''
We also know that our intelligence agency has identified
threats posed to the United States by Iran. In the Annual
Threat Assessment, which was conducted and put out by the
Office of the Director of National Intelligence, dated February
of this year, there is an entire section on Iran. Well, that
section states Iran will continue to threaten U.S. persons
directly and via proxy attacks, particularly in the Middle
East. Iran also remains committed to developing surrogate
networks inside the United States, an objective it has pursued
for more than a decade.
So, in light of the warnings issued by the director of
national intelligence, I want to speak to the threats to our
homeland posed by the vulnerabilities caused by our unsecured
border. We saw statistics that have recently been released. It
shows a record number of immigrants coming across the border.
Fiscal year 2021, 1.7 million. Fiscal year 2022, 2.4. This past
year, fiscal year 2023, almost 2.5, and that's in addition to
the estimated 1.5 million gotaways.
We know that FOX reported that this month that there were
two Iranians who were apprehended crossing the Southwest
Border, both who appeared on the Terrorist Screening Database.
Mr. Greenway, in the brief amount of time that I have left,
I would ask that you would speak specifically to the dangers
posed to our homeland by this administration's failure to
secure our Southwest Border.
Mr. Greenway. Thank you, Congressman. I would say that,
first, you correctly point out that the population that's
entered our border provides rich potential for them to recruit
criminal organizations to conduct a range of attacks.
Second, their operational infrastructure already here in
the United States has been deprioritized such that it has been
unaddressed. The combination of the two constitute a prescient
risk.
Mr. Guest. One last thing, Mr. Greenway, and then I'll
close. One of your recommendations is to enact H.R. 2 and to
reestablish territorial integrity. Is that correct?
Mr. Greenway. It is, sir.
Mr. Guest. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Carter.
Mr. Carter. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Jewish religious institutions, including schools and
synagogues, have seen an uptick in threats since the Hamas
terrorist attack on Israel, including places like New Orleans,
which I represent.
The New Orleans Police Department has had to boost security
around the Jewish community and, according to interim Police
Chief Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, New Orleans Police has
deployed directed patrols to ensure the safety of our Jewish
institutions and communities.
Similarly, we have seen an uptick in anti-Muslim threats
across the country, including the tragic murder of a 6-year-old
Palestinian boy in Illinois by a deranged man who was driven to
kill after becoming enraged while listening to Conservative
talk radio.
Mr. Warrick, based on your experience, how do you--how do
events unfolding in Israel and in Gaza and the way news and
politicians talk about these events affect Homeland Security
and the threats minority communities face, and what steps
should government take to ensure the safety of minority and
religious institutions?
Mr. Warrick. Thank you very much for that question. I
completely agree with the proposition that it is important for
all of our leaders to speak out against antisemitism and
Islamophobia.
Americans have the tradition of expressing differences
through peaceful means, but it's absolutely unacceptable when
language becomes so inflamed that it encourages what are often
lone actors, who read these messages, consume this content, to
believe that they should somehow carry out acts of violence. It
is deeply, deeply troubling when leaders call for violence or
for measures that any reasonable person would understand would
cause those who are in some ways close to the edge to go over
that edge into violent actions.
So the best thing that all of our leaders can do is
continue to call for everyone to resist antisemitism, resist
Islamophobia, and remember that, as Americans, we settle our
differences through democratic and peaceful means.
Mr. Carter. Thank you.
Iran has a long history of assassination plots and
targeting dissidents who live outside the country. One of our
witnesses here today has been the target of a plot to kidnap
her and another plot to assassinate her.
We know the indictments that Iran has plotted to
assassinate high-level former U.S. officials, including former
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Mr. Warrick, what specific U.S. counterterrorism assets or
capabilities are most critical to our goal in disrupting the
countering these and other threats from Iran?
Mr. Warrick. I want to salute the work of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, which has the lead for investigating
these types of threats against the American people. The FBI has
done some extraordinary work, some of which I've seen first-
hand and its ability to do so.
That having been said, as Ms. Alinejad said, there are
limits to what the FBI is able to do, and it's clear that there
do need to be additional measures taken to find ways to protect
former U.S. officials and American citizens who may be
threatened by outrageous actions of the Iranian regime.
Mr. Carter. For each member, very quickly, you're sitting
before the Homeland Security Committee, a committee of
bipartisan Members with the desire to weigh in to help.
Given that you now have this audience, can you each very
briefly tell us what can we do? If you had one opportunity to
ask this committee to weigh in and to help, what might that ask
be? I'll start with you, sir.
Mr. Sales. Thank you, Congressman. I would say secure the
border. Provide the authorities and resources necessary to
secure the border. Thank you.
Ms. Alinejad. If I may add something, America needs to have
a bipartisan strategy toward transnational repression. This is
very serious, that I'm not alone. I see there a lot of
activists and dissidents from other countries being the target
of transnational repression on U.S. soil. We see that how
Iranian--like the regime in Iran is--the alliance of dictators,
autocrats, from Russia to China to Islamic Republic, they're
all helping each other, backing each other, supporting each
other.
Buy we don't see alliance of democratic countries
supporting each other. Like IRGC is on the terrorist list by
the United States of America, but the United States must take
lead and ask its allies to designate and criminalize IRGC as a
terrorist organization as well, which we don't see that.
I kept hearing from the lawmakers from the United Kingdom
saying that, actually, this is the United States advising them
not to lose the embassy, because they have to have a channel
open toward this terrorist regime in Iran.
Mr. Greenway. I would echo Ambassador Sales' recommendation
and add reprioritize Palestinian terrorist groups and Iranian
surrogates in the United States and abroad.
Mr. Warrick. I would say bipartisanship, cybersecurity,
especially the private sector, reauthorize the WMD office at
DHS, renew 702, and keep I&A able to do some collection with
Constitutional protections, extend authorities to counter
unmanned aerial systems, reauthorize CFATS and reauthorize
section 702 with the changes that Mr. Greenway and I agree
should be looked at.
Mr. Carter. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentleman from North Carolina and the
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on
Homeland Security, Mr. Bishop.
Mr. Bishop. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Two of the most stunning moments I've had sitting on any
committee in Congress are in November of last year, when I
asked Christy Abizaid, the director of the National
Counterterrorism Center, whether the uncontrolled entry into
the country of I guess it's in excess of a million-seven, if I
remember, was the number that the Judiciary Committee recently
documented in a report of gotaways--that is to say people that
never encountered anyone from any United States agency as they
entered the country--was not an obvious risk for, egregious
risk for criminal or terrorist threats on the homeland.
I want to know if anybody on--Ms. Abizaid told me it's not,
that they don't believe that's it because, historically, that's
not how terrorist threats have developed in the homeland. That
seems to me to be unimaginably stupid. Today, we've heard
Members on the dais essentially repeat that, that is an unfair
attack on the Biden administration.
I'd like to know if anybody sitting on the panel believes
that allowing a million-seven into the country during the Biden
administration without any vetting of any kind, no connection
to--or encounter of any Government official presents an
egregious threat of terrorism to the homeland. Does anyone
disbelieve that who sits on this panel? Thank you.
Is it a threat to the United States homeland if there is an
Iranian government influence operation functioning at the
highest levels of the United States administration? Does anyone
on the panel believe that that would not present a threat to
the homeland?
Is anyone on the panel familiar with this reporting in
Semafor that there was this Iran experts initiative operated by
the Iranian government that had contact not with only Robert
Malley, the Biden administration's Special Envoy who's now I
understand suspended, but I can't figure out this one.
There's a woman named I think Ariane Tabatabai, if that's
how you pronounce it. Ms. Alinejad, perhaps you could correct
me if that's the wrong pronunciation. But she's the chief of
staff to the assistant secretary of defense for special
operations, a Classified operation, a Classified position, has
to have a security clearance to be in that position, obviously.
There's documentation of her 2014 email correspondence with--
Zafor, is that the name?--Zahrani believe it is, who's adjacent
to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. This is in the Biden
administration. As far as I know, she's still there. I don't
even hear any mainstream reporting on that.
Is there anyone on this panel that can enlighten the
American people in this hearing about the details of that
situation? Ms. Alinejad.
Ms. Alinejad. It was shocking for you, but not for us
Iranians. I was the one actually launched a petition against
Rob Malley right after the brutal murder of Mahsa Amini,
because he was the one actually came out and saying that
Iranian people want respect from its government, but that was
not the fact.
Iranian people sacrificed their life. More than 700 people
got killed. More than 22,000 people got arrested. They had only
one demand. They wanted to end this regime. They don't want
respect from this government. After 40 years, we the people of
Iran know that this regime is not reformable. Whether you like
it or not, we want to have a regime change.
But Rob Malley actually stopped the Biden administration to
meet with people like me and other Iranian Americans who say
clearly we want an end for gender apartheid regime. So that's
why he had like his own people trying to say that, you know,
protests like--Ariane Tabatabai was one of them, saying that it
became part of the culture of Iranians. It's not.
So that is why we've been warning the U.S. Government, and
we've been ignored, but that's information launched by Iranian
International. Semafor is correct, that they were the same
people trying to say that Qasem Soleimani was a national hero.
Here we are.
Mr. Bishop. Thank you. In the last 25 seconds I've got, I
want to make one last comment. I'm sorry Mr. Magaziner has
left, Mr. Chairman.
But in the beginning of this, when he was talking about the
vicious, horrific antisemitism that we've seen in this country,
he repeated a smear of the former President.
Whatever you think about the former President, I urge you
to go to USA Today about that continued claim that he said that
antisemites, that neo-Nazis were fine people on both sides. It
is a lie. It is a gutter lie. You cannot maintain bipartisan
support for rejecting antisemitism in this country when you
equate saying that--when he went on to say: I'm not talking
about the neo-Nazis. They should be condemned entirely.
He was talking about people who were protesting the removal
of a Confederate statue in the previous events to that
Charlottesville event. For that to be repeated over and over
again by Members on this dais when even the liberal
organizations recognize that that is a smear, that's got to
stop in order for this bipartisan rejection of antisemitism to
succeed.
I yield.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize Mr. Ivey. I believe Maryland, right?
Mr. Ivey. Still, yes.
Chairman Green. Still Maryland.
Mr. Ivey. Chairman, that is correct.
Chairman Green. For his 5 minutes of questioning.
Mr. Ivey. Thank you very much.
I appreciate the opportunity to hear from this panel. I
think it's--I want to thank the Chairman for bringing this
together. We don't all agree on some of the things that have
been said and some of the points of emphasis.
Before he leaves, though, I did want to thank Chairman
Bishop for his work on some related issues. We had a previous
subcommittee hearing on domestic terrorism threats. Now, we
came at it from different angles. You know, you focused on the
issues from the left. I focused on the issues from the right.
But I think it's still important that we recognize that
those issues are there because, as has been pointed out by the
panel--and I'll come back to the border wall issue in a moment.
But, you know, one of the things I think we need to focus on
with respect to threats from Iran are the domestic
opportunities that they have. We already know that, as we've
heard from some of our leaders in law enforcement at the
Federal level, domestic terrorism is one of the top challenges
if not the top challenge in the United States with respect to
overall terrorism. We've had hearings here in this committee--
I'm on Judiciary as well--with respect to lone-wolf killings
and attacks on democracy.
I want to make sure, though, we focus on these issues
because, with respect to the threat, CISA, one of the agencies
within the Homeland Security Department, has really been
undermined, frankly, by some of the leadership. Some of my
colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, including the Chairman,
have taken opportunities to really challenge that entity.
So the ability for us to, as a Government, to respond to
interaction from Iran that's attempting to undermine the Nation
with respect to democracy or ginning up false information has
been a problem. I think we need to reinvigorate that, and I
hope that we can do that as well with this group.
I see Congressman Pfluger has returned. I did want to take
a moment and apologize for interrupting your opening statement.
I didn't realize the context of what was going on with that.
With respect to the border wall, I do want to say this too.
I had a chance to go to Israel last month, actually, with
Congressman Carter and some others. We went down to the Gaza
border and saw that--you know, I think pretty much some of the
same areas that we saw Hamas coming across.
I know in H.R. 2 the border wall is a key focus. I know
there is a strong interest by my Republican colleagues in
completing that. In fact, H.R. 2 has a mandate for 900
additional miles of border wall to be built up.
I still continue to believe that that's not the right way
to go. I think the additional funds that could be used--our
calculation was that 900 miles of additional wall would run
about $18 billion. The supplemental that the White House sent,
which I would encourage my colleagues to support, I think is
less than that total amount.
So I think we need to move forward with the supplemental
proposal with respect to 1,600 new asylum officers, 375 new
immigration judges. I think this can also help with getting
control over the number of people who are in the United States.
We talk a lot about the people who come across the border, and
we don't know their backgrounds or where they are. I think if
we expand the personnel who can deal with that, I think that
would be a big step in the right direction.
I know there's going to be an issue and discussion in
Israel about the--you know, what happened at the border. I
don't want to get into that now. I think it's important to
simply support them in their efforts to defeat Hamas and
dismantle Hamas. But I think there is some instruction there
for the United States as we consider H.R. 2 and the border
wall.
I think, in closing, I wanted to ask a quick question to
the Ambassador. You said kind-of in two ways that we needed to
do more. I think at one point you said more than a press
release with respect to the deterrence. Then, with respect to
questions from the Ranking Member, you mentioned that we've
already had prosecutions and that you can congratulate the
Department of Justice on that.
But I wanted to get a sense of specific steps. What
specifically would you be saying we should do? You said don't
bomb Tehran, and I appreciate that comment. What exactly did
you have in mind that we should be doing?
Mr. Sales. Congressman, thanks for the question. It's
actually really hard to answer that from the chair I'm
currently sitting in, as a private citizen, without access to
Classified intelligence reporting and not being privy to
diplomatic conversations in the region.
So I think the best I can do from my current perch is to
offer sort-of broad strategic advice. That strategic advice is
impose costs using whatever tools of national power are
available: Economic power, diplomatic power, law enforcement
power, intelligence, perhaps military under the right
circumstances. Use whatever levers of national power are
available to us to impose costs.
Mr. Ivey. Let me reclaim my time briefly. Before I wrap up,
we've heard a lot of comments about appeasement. Again, I would
encourage my colleagues, with respect to Ukraine and the
funding for them, if we don't want to send a message about
appeasement that's interpreted the wrong way, I think it's
critical for us to continue to fund Ukraine.
I yield back.
Mr. Guest [presiding]. Thank you.
At this time, the Chair recognizes Mr. Gimenez for 5
minutes for his questioning.
Mr. Gimenez. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Alinejad, I think that the people of Iran and the
people of my home country of Cuba, when they go out and they
protest on the street they probably say the same thing, maybe a
different language. People of Cuba say freedom. Is that what
the people of Iran say?
Ms. Alinejad. Azadi.
Mr. Gimenez. Exactly. Everyone seeks the same thing. It's
freedom. All these apologists say, no, they want food, or they
want this, or they want a little bit kinder regime. We want
regime change, because that's the only thing that will help
us----
Ms. Alinejad [continuing]. You want freedom.
Mr. Gimenez. Exactly. As far as the border wall is
concerned and security at the--I may have a difference of
opinion with my colleagues. I actually don't think any funding
helps whatsoever. We can put a zillion dollars into the
Southern Border, and nothing will change because the policies
won't change.
It's the policies that have caused the crisis at the
border, the policies of this administration. There wasn't any
difference in funding from January 19 to January 21 of 2021. It
was the change in policies that have caused the crisis at the
border. There wasn't any more wall. It's the change in policy.
This administration has absolutely--they have no will to change
their policy. They like what's going on. You can't be this
dumb. It's on purpose.
Now let's get back to something else. Hey, do you know what
cybersecurity, rockets, drones, rifles, bullets, paragliders,
antitank missiles, terror cells, spies, misinformation
campaigns, a whole bunch of different other things, you know
what they have in common? Funding, money.
So, Mr. Greenway, I want you to talk to me about how the
Biden administration is helping Iran get more of the funding
that it needs to conduct its terror operations around the
world, including the United States, and the difference between
this administration and what was happening in the previous
administration and how that is pouring billions of dollars into
this regime that's funding all the terror and the chaos we see
around the world.
Could you elaborate on that, please?
Mr. Greenway. Thanks for the question, Congressman. I can.
At the conclusion of the Trump administration, as Ambassador
Sales pointed out, Iran's foreign accessible reserves were at
$4 billion, which was the equivalent of Haiti.
They were exporting about 400,000 barrels of oil a month,
which is what you can do under smuggling circumstances and
little else. They were committed to acquiring resources rather
than the conduct of terrorist organizations and terrorist
activity.
At the moment, their accessible foreign exchange reserves
are north of $40 billion on their way to $70 billion. Their oil
sales are approaching 2 million barrels a day. It's important
to note that oil is now north of $90 a barrel. So they're
making more and selling more.
This has all breathed life into the organization. The
defense budget has increased by 14 percent. That's just what
goes to the IRGC itself. All of that goes then to surrogates
and proxies, who now are no longer worried about resources.
They have a flush amount of resources and capital. They're now
able to focus their time and activity on terrorism.
Mr. Gimenez. So, by my calculation, that's a 500 percent
increase in oil production, or actually sale, the selling of
oil, Iranian oil, a 500 percent increase, plus the increase in
the oil prices.
A lot of it's caused by this administration because they
refuse to let American energy produce more oil and gas, which
actually makes Iranian oil much more expensive, which gives
them more money to do the things that they do.
So tell me, tell me, how serious is this administration
really in helping our allies or helping United States security
when they're actually funding the same people that are trying
to destroy us?
By the way, does Iran want to destroy the United States?
When the leaders say they want to destroy the United States,
does anybody here think that's just, oh, they're just kidding,
you know? Do you think they're kidding?
Mr. Sales. They're not known for their sense of humor,
Congressman.
Mr. Gimenez. What about you ma'am?
Ms. Alinejad. Absolutely, they are. They mean it. They
don't even care whether you're Republican or Democrat. They
hate America, and they want to destroy American democracy is
right. That's why they hate people like me who say that.
America, get ready to see an Iran without Islamic Republic.
Because you don't have any policy to see that, that's why you
stick with wrong people who say: Let's reform this regime.
Mr. Gimenez. I need to get the other two.
Do you believe that Iran wants to destroy the United
States?
Mr. Greenway. They do.
Mr. Gimenez. Mr. Warrick, do you think they want to destroy
us?
Mr. Warrick. Iran wants to dominate the Middle East, and
they see the United States as the chief impediment to that
goal.
Mr. Gimenez. Do they want to destroy us?
Mr. Warrick. They know they can't destroy us.
Mr. Gimenez. Do they want to?
Mr. Warrick. They----
Mr. Gimenez. There's the problem. See----
Mr. Warrick. No.
Mr. Gimenez. There's the problem.
Do you think they want to destroy Israel? Do you have any
doubt they want to destroy Israel?
Mr. Warrick. Oh, on that I agree with you.
Mr. Gimenez. Well, very good. So we agree on one thing, all
four of us do. OK, very good.
This administration is giving them the money to let them do
it.
Thank you, and I yield back.
Chairman Green [presiding]. The gentleman yields.
I know I've been very lenient on letting people go over,
and I do my best to apply that bipartisanly. However, we've run
the math and we think there's a vote. Votes are going to be
called at noon.
So, as I do the math, we want to make sure as many people
get an opportunity to speak today. So I'm going to tighten up a
little bit for everyone bipartisanly on our time limits. I
apologize; that leniency I normally have has to go away.
Mr. Goldman is recognized, the gentleman from New York.
Actually, you snuck in on me, Doctor. Mr. Thanedar will be
recognized. We'll get to you.
Mr. Thanedar. Thank you, Chair, and I'll be quick.
I think I'm going to skip some of my introduction here and
go right into my questions.
Mr. Warrick, what unique challenges does Iran's use of
proxy hackers, like Hezbollah, pose to the defending U.S.
interests in cyber space related to both domestic networks and
those of our allies?
What do you see as the biggest threat posed by increasingly
capable cyber actors associated with terrorist organizations
like Hezbollah? To what degree do the cyber capabilities of
Hamas and Hezbollah pose a threat to the homeland, and are we
prepared?
Mr. Warrick. So Iran cyber threats are most posed by
contractors who are based in Iran and who think by attacking
the United States they will be rewarded with additional
contracts and other kinds of benefits that they want to
receive.
Hezbollah, Hamas, and others have very active
disinformation networks, and it's actually that that concerns
me. The propaganda that those groups put out is intended to
inflame the situation in the Middle East and to try to
encourage people here in the United States, which I have to say
I must remind everyone they target people who are already U.S.
citizens or who are already here with this propaganda, and this
really concerns me.
Mr. Thanedar. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Warrick.
In the wake of October 7 attacks, questions have arisen
about the intelligence shortfall regarding Hamas' plan to carry
out a terrorist attack. There have been questions about the
U.S. intelligence community's awareness as media has reported
the United States warned about a potential escalation in
violence but did not predict the complex multi-pronged attack
by Hamas.
Mr. Warrick, how can we, Congress, assist to strengthen or
provide resources that monitor and predict these attacks,
especially predict the magnitude of this attack?
Mr. Warrick. So it's obvious that, within Israel, after the
war is over, there will be a reckoning and an attempt to find
lessons learned. I would hope that this Congress would do the
same thing here in the United States so that there can be an
independent bipartisan inquiry into what went wrong.
I do have to say, though, that the United States relies
very heavily on our intelligence partnerships. We don't try to
do everything ourselves. That would be wasteful, inefficient,
and probably just plain wrong. So, in this case, we do rely on
allies, including Israel but not only Israel, to increase what
we know about these threats.
I think there's an essential role for the Congress to play
in a serious lessons learned exercise so that a strategic
surprise like this doesn't happen to us. The Iranian regime is
capable of doing that, as we have seen, and this very much
concerns me.
Mr. Thanedar. Thank you.
Chair, I yield back a few minutes here.
Chairman Green. Thank you, sir.
I now recognize Mr. Pfluger from Texas for his 5 minutes.
Mr. Pfluger. Mr. Chairman, can I take just 20 seconds
personal privilege?
Chairman Green. Sure. I mean, it's your time anyway. Yes.
Mr. Pfluger. I've spoken with Mr. Ivey, and we had a good
conversation. My apologies for some of the unnecessary
commentary earlier. We were able to talk about that. This is a
committee that needs to function bipartisanly, and anyways. As
we get to the--I hope you'll accept that apology as well.
Mr. Ivey. Certainly, Congressman. Thank you. I appreciate
it.
Mr. Pfluger. You know, look, we've got 1.7 million known
gotaways since President Biden took office. Ambassador Sales
mentioned the number of Iranians, Syrians, Iraqis, Lebanese,
Yemenis. It's 650 Iranians that have come into the country that
we know about; 7\1/2\ million people total in that period of
time.
When you look at what happened in Israel and you compare
the threat, the possibility of a threat, Ambassador Sales, what
lessons do we learn and what actions must the Biden
administration immediately take to prevent that type of attack
from happening here?
Mr. Sales. Well, Congressman, I think one of the lessons
from October 7 is that vigilance is essential. We can't let up
on our guard. We have to take our adversaries seriously. When
they say that they want to kill Americans, we have to believe
them, and we have to prepare so that we can prevent them from
doing so.
When they say they want to wipe Israel off the face of the
map, that's not just rhetoric. When they say ``death to
America,'' that means death to Americans. It's not just
rhetoric. That's their goal. We have to take that seriously. We
have to prepare, and we have to prevent it.
Mr. Pfluger. When it comes to our policy toward Iran, give
me two or three points that need to be immediately reversed
from this administration.
Mr. Sales. I think the most important thing that we can do,
Congressman, is cut off the flow of money to Iran. You've heard
some numbers from me. You've heard some numbers from Mr.
Greenway.
The bottom line is that sanctions work. Sanctions deprive
terrorists and their state sponsors of the resources that they
use to shed blood around the world.
During the last administration, when we squeezed Iran's
economy to the point that its accessible foreign currency
reserves were equivalent to Haiti, the money for terrorism
dried up. Both Hamas and Hezbollah had to adopt austerity
programs to deal with the shortfall.
As I mentioned, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah,
had to go on TV and beg for donations. That is the sort of
sanctions posture we need to get back to to dry up the
resources for these groups.
Mr. Pfluger. Ms. Alinejad, thank you for your testimony.
Thank you for reminding us that the Iranian people are not the
problem, that the issue is the Iranian Government, that the
despotism, the authoritarianism, and the horrific ways in which
the Iranian people are treated is reflective of their desire to
do harm and to use terror as a the largest state sponsor of
terror around the world. I appreciate that.
I'm going to move on to Mr. Greenway because I want to get
to something that you talked about. What Ambassador Sales was
talking about on the sanctions, talk to us about what this
administration has done, how that's viewed as appeasement, or
if it's something else, please tell us.
But what has the issuance of waivers on some of the money--
let's just first look at the $6 billion in Qatar right now
that's--no, it's not been given to the Iranian government, but
it's made available. Talk to us about that and the need for
sanctions as it is--as it's viewed around the world as strength
instead of weakness and appeasement.
Mr. Greenway. I appreciate the question, Congressman. As
Ambassador Sales pointed out, the interpretation that Iran has
made is that their behavior, their conduct is encouraged
because they're being rewarded for it. That is the
interpretation of all of our partners and allies in the region
and those that we would target with sanctions in order to
change their behavior.
The interpretation is that we are getting the behavior that
we are paying for. Our allies in the region think that we're
paying for Iran's nuclear program because, essentially, we are.
All that this does is encourage Iran to conduct more of the
behavior and provides the resources, the capital necessary to
do it at levels it has not seen in over 20 years.
Mr. Pfluger. Is there any doubt in any of you-all's minds--
I'll start with Ambassador Sales and go down the list--that
Iran would use our porous Southern Border to infiltrate and
then carry out an attack in the United States? Is there any
doubt that they would not do that?
Mr. Sales. Zero doubt. They have tried to do it before.
They'll try to do it again.
Chairman Green. Ms. Alinejad.
Ms. Alinejad. The Iranian regime claims that the money that
they get from the U.S. Government, it goes for humanitarian
purpose. I am here to tell you that, for the Islamic Republic,
wiping out Israel from the map, destroying Israel, destroying
America is humanitarian act.
That's why we ask the U.S. Government to stop handing out
this money to Iranian regime, because it goes to Hamas and
Hezbollah.
Mr. Pfluger. My time has expired. Any doubt, Mr. Greenway,
Mr. Warrick, that they would use that to attack us?
Mr. Greenway. None whatsoever.
Mr. Warrick. The Iranian----
Mr. Pfluger. I have to get a yes or no.
Mr. Warrick. It's much more complicated than that, and----
Mr. Pfluger. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentleman from New York, Mr. Goldman.
Mr. Goldman. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I'm heartened that there's so much bipartisan agreement
about the threat that Iran poses not only in the Middle East
but to the United States, and I do hope that we can continue to
work together.
Some of the rhetoric, though, coming from my colleagues
across the aisle is a little disconcerting I must say. My
distinguished colleague from Florida tried to say that the
Charlottesville Unite the Right rally was not antisemitic and
filled with neo-Nazis using antisemitic slogans.
The demonstrators chanted lines like, ``Jews will not
replace us.'' They used slogans like ``blood and soil,'' which
is a phrase drawn from Nazi ideology. One said: This city is
run by Jewish Communists and criminal N-word--I will not say
that.
That was an antisemitic neo-Nazi rally that President Trump
said there were good people on both sides. So let's not dispute
the facts.
Second, I want to point out in response to--I'm sorry. That
was Mr. Bishop who said that. Mr. Gimenez was talking about how
the issues we have on our border are purely policy issues
there, not funding issues, and that the Biden administration
has done nothing to address policy. That is false.
The problem the Biden administration has is that every
policy change they make is subject to a lawsuit by Republicans.
So the Republicans are trying to sabotage the Biden
administration's efforts to fix the issues at the border and
then bash the administration while they are doing that. That is
not helpful.
But what is I think helpful is what Ambassador Sales said,
which, when asked--and correct me if I'm wrong--when asked what
the most important thing that the Government can do, the Biden
administration can do to stop the criminal organizations on the
border was more funding.
Is that right?
Mr. Sales. Funding and authority, sir.
Mr. Goldman. Funding, OK. Well, it's interesting because,
in the supplemental brief, supplemental recommendation by the
administration, they include money to hire 1,000 additional CBP
officers and resources for Homeland Security Investigations,
HSI. That would be funding to combat transnational criminal
organizations.
Is that right, Ambassador Sales?
Mr. Sales. Having not reviewed the legislation, I'm
reluctant to offer a view on it, but----
Mr. Goldman. Well, you would agree that 1,000 more officers
and additional resources for the investigative arm of the
Department of Homeland Security would be helpful to--would be
new funding and helpful to combat transnational criminal
organizations on the border.
Are you going to disagree with that?
Mr. Sales. That is certainly new funding, and I would also
want them to have the full authorities to make use of those
resources.
Mr. Goldman. Right. I understand. I'm just quoting back
what you said.
It also asks for an additional 1,300 Border Patrol agents
to work alongside the 20,000 agents that were funded in their
fiscal year 2024 budget. There's also support for 300 new
Border Patrol processing coordinators so that the Border Patrol
agents can focus on their critical national security mission.
The list goes on.
The problem we have here is there are policies in place.
The administration is trying to put more money in order to
combat the transnational criminal organizations and the Mexican
drug cartels, and my Republican colleagues oppose that. In
fact, some of my Republican colleagues want to defund the FBI.
Mr. Warrick, would defunding the FBI help combat
transnational criminal organizations such as the cartels and
the fentanyl problem that we have?
Mr. Warrick. It would be a disaster of unimaginable
proportions to defund the FBI.
Mr. Goldman. It would. I think it's important, as we are
attacking not only the terrorism exported by Iran around the
world and our Southern Border that we try to unify, as we have
in our support for Israel, as we have in denouncing terrorism
in Hamas, but also as we try to address the issues at the
Southern Border. Instead, my Republican colleagues want to
politicize this issue for their own benefit, and that is not
constructive.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I do want to make a point, though, of clarification. There
was significant new funding in H.R. 2, to include increasing
the size of Border Patrol over a set number of years in excess
of what was requested by the White House, increased technology,
license plate readers. So I will correct the gentleman on that.
Mr. Goldman. So I hope you'll agree to a supplemental----
Chairman Green. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Mr. Garbarino. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Now, Ambassador Sales, the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence's 2023 Annual Threat Assessment states
that Iran remains a major cyber threat. Iran's growing
expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber
operations make it a major threat to the security of the U.S.
and allied networks and data.
Iran's opportunistic approach to cyber attacks make
critical infrastructure owners in the United States susceptible
to being targeted.
Ambassador, in your role as coordinator for
counterterrorism, you were able to witness first-hand the
capabilities of our enemies to conduct terror attacks on our
critical infrastructure.
In your experience, how has Iran used cyber to enable their
operations?
Mr. Sales. Well, Congressman, thanks for the question. I
think Iran is a very capable adversary, and, you know, we spoke
previously about America playing to its strength and using the
tools of national power available to us.
That's exactly what Iran does as well. It wants to operate
below the threshold of open conflict with the United States
because it knows that it doesn't stand a chance. Ronald Reagan
sank half the Iranian Navy in the 1980's, and they learned a
lesson from that.
So, instead of risking open conflict, they use proxies,
such as Hezbollah, such as Hamas, to carry out a terrorist
agenda. They use cyber intrusions to target critical
infrastructure in the United States, not the sort of thing that
would trigger open conflict with the United States but that
would be an irritant and then some, and that would disable
critical U.S. capabilities.
That's their tradecraft, to operate below the threshold.
It's an instinct for self-preservation that is largely driving
this, I think.
Mr. Garbarino. So the threshold, in your opinion, is just
more of a--not an annoyance but, you know, just to keep
peppering us and our allies with minor attacks?
Mr. Sales. Well, I wouldn't consider many of the Iranian
intrusions into our networks minor. I would consider them to be
potentially quite significant. They may not be turned on today,
but inserting malware into our systems that could then be
activated in the event of some inflection point being reached,
you know, that's something that could disable the grid,
something that could take hospitals off-line. That would not be
a minor attack in anybody's----
Mr. Garbarino. No.
Mr. Sales [continuing]. Estimation even if we haven't seen
the consequences today.
Mr. Garbarino. I see a couple of the other witnesses
nodding their heads, so I'll open it up to hear your responses
as well. Mr. Warrick.
Mr. Warrick. Yes, it really does concern me that Iran keeps
getting better and better in its cyber attacks. The first few
attacks were nuisance attacks against small dams that had no
strategic significance. They've gotten better, and so our
defenses need to get better as well.
Mr. Garbarino. Mr. Green--we'll just go down the----
Ms. Alinejad. I mean, Iranian regime, they're really good
at rattling their cyber army against not only Iranian
dissidents and activists, they interfered in the election in
the United States of America. That should be taken serious.
More than this, when they want to kill someone, they want
to assassinate someone, some activists and dissidents, first
they go after him or her through cyber army on social media.
Well, how ironic that the Iranian regime are using U.S.
tech companies to bully their opposition, but at the same time,
they ban 80 million people from using social media.
The U.S. Government must do something to kick out the
dictators because they're using the social media for their
cyber army and rallying, mobilizing extremists against Israeli
dissidents, against U.S. dissidents, and Iranian Americans as
well.
Mr. Garbarino. Thank you.
Mr. Greenway. As long as they're rewarded for their conduct
and they pay no price for it, it will continue, and it will get
worse. That has been the pattern since 1979, and that will
continue to be the pattern.
Mr. Garbarino. Thank you. I have about a minute left so I
do want to focus on Iran's use of technology.
Ambassador, I'm concerned about the ramifications of the
accessible AI tools to improve our adversaries' cyber
capabilities. What should we be most concerned about regarding
Iran's use of AI?
Mr. Sales. Well, I think something that Ms. Alinejad just
said is exactly right. The Iranian regime wants to take
advantage of technologies and capabilities pioneered by
innovators in the United States and use it to shore up the
regime's survivability.
The irony, I mean, the supreme leader is on Twitter every
day, saying ``death to America, death to Jews, death to
Israel,'' and he denies his own people the ability to access
the internet, the ability to use Twitter, the ability to get
information unfiltered through, you know, the regime's sensors.
So, you know, we need to be very clear about--and this is a
big conversation, probably enough for a separate hearing--we
need to be very clear about the rules of the road, so that
American tech companies, so that other American private-sector
actors are not unwittingly enabling bad behavior by the regime.
Mr. Garbarino. Thank you. I'm out of time, so I yield back,
but I agree with you, this could be a hearing all on its own.
Thank you.
Chairman Green. Thank you. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr.
Magaziner.
Mr. Magaziner. Thank you, Chairman.
There's a lot that needs to be dealt with in order to
defend and stand with our ally Israel, to deal with the
humanitarian situation in Gaza, and to protect Americans here
at home.
But one aspect that I want to focus on, as Ranking Member
for Counterterrorism and Intelligence, there was a massive
intelligence failure in the lead-up to Hamas' attack on Israel.
Israeli intelligence, which has a reputation of being
amongst the best in the world, seemed to be blindsided by the
scale of the attack that unfolded.
U.S. intelligence, which I understand relies heavily on
Israeli intelligence when it comes to monitoring Hamas, also
was caught unaware.
We, as a Congress, have a responsibility to make sure that
that kind of intelligence failure does not happen again, and,
in particular, this committee has a responsibility to make sure
that such an intelligence failure cannot exist here in the U.S.
homeland.
So, Mr. Warrick, I'd like to ask you to expand on your
remarks a little bit. What tools does Congress need to provide,
with the appropriate civil liberties protections in place, to
ensure that the intelligence community does not fail to detect
a massive attack on the U.S. homeland the same way that they
apparently failed to detect the plot against Israel?
Mr. Warrick. The most important thing would be to renew
section 702 authorization that would allow the collection of
certain kinds of signals intelligence by foreign adversaries.
As several of us have said here, this is extremely vital. There
do need to be safeguards built in, but the program, as a whole,
needs to be renewed with those safeguards.
Second, it concerns me that there's a bill, or language
from the Senate, that would take away DHS intelligence
analysis' ability to do certain kinds of collections.
Again, there need to be Constitutional protections in
place. We should all agree on that. There should be
investigations as the House language calls, but I would hope
that the House in this particular provision stands by its guns
during the conference that's now under way.
Additionally, there are other authorizations that just
absolutely have to be extended. The CWMD office, the counter-
UAS authorities, and the CFATS reauthorization are all vital to
our Homeland Security.
Mr. Magaziner. Thank you very much. I wanted to ask about
Iran's cyber attacks as well. Mr. Garbarino touched on that, so
I won't repeat his question.
But, Mr. Warrick, in addition to the attacks that Iran has
conducted against infrastructure in the United States, even a
hospital in Boston, you note in your written testimony that
they have also attempted to engage in disinformation campaigns
in increasing levels of sophistication.
Can you expand on that a bit and talk about what we, as a
Congress, might do to combat Iranian disinformation efforts on-
line?
Mr. Warrick. So, in a recent election a couple of years
ago, Iran carried out a campaign to try to stoke racial
division and hatred within the United States by spreading false
information. That was frankly a more sophisticated attack than
some people might have given the Iranians credit for.
One of the things that I've learned in more than 40 years
is, these guys get better every time, and so our defenses have
to get better every time. We're going to have to be better
prepared to resist Iranian disinformation in the next election
because otherwise they could surprises us.
Mr. Magaziner. Thank you very much.
You know, I'll just say, I had to step out for a moment to
take a call, but I'm told that a Member from the other side,
Mr. Bishop, took it upon himself to try to educate me about
antisemitism.
I'll just say again that, when you show up at a rally and
there are people chanting ``Jews will not replace us,'' ``blood
and soil,'' carrying torches, if you're a fine person, you
leave. You get out of there. You do not stay. You do not
support that.
A strong leader and the President of the United States or a
Member of Congress would condemn it in no uncertain terms, not
say: Fine people on both sides.
With that, I'll yield. Thank you.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize another gentleman from Mississippi, Mr.
Ezell, for his questioning.
Mr. Ezell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all for
being here today and sharing with us this very important topic
that we are discussing.
I want to begin today by saying how important it is that we
stand with Israel during the recent attacks, and we must hold
Hamas and their supporters, such as Iran, accountable for these
terrible actions.
We know that Iran supports terrorists around the world,
organizations that finance terrorism. I find it very concerning
that recent reports suggest a former Biden administration
official, Robert Malley, used the State Department to funnel
billions of dollars to Iran, and as we've heard today, they
don't mean to do good things to America or Israel.
This continues to threaten all of our allies around the
world, and each day we see, with all the things that are going
on, it's getting closer and closer to the United States.
Mr. Sales, while there are many questions that we must
answer regarding Robert Malley, still do you believe the
actions by the Biden administration have emboldened Iran and
encouraged the terrorists around the attack on Israel?
Mr. Sales. Well, Congressman, I think the best way to
answer that is to look at Iran's behavior, and what we have
seen from Iran over the past several years has been a dramatic
increase in its confrontation of the United States and of our
allies in the region.
You know, just within the past 7 days or more, we've seen,
I think, 13 separate attacks on American soldiers in the Middle
East by Iran-backed proxies in places like Syria, in places
like Iraq, even off the coast of Yemen.
I think the Iranian regime is like a spoiled child. It will
act out until a parent steps in and puts them in the naughty
corner. What we need to see from the administration is the
application of pressure to the regime to impose costs on them
to reestablish deterrence.
Mr. Ezell. Thank you very much.
Ms. Alinejad, excuse me for my southern voice here, but I
want you to tell us a little bit today about your experience,
because the Biden administration, what you went through in your
life and your family. I would like for you to give us some
details today about how that made you feel and about how they
responded to helping you during this crisis.
Ms. Alinejad. Thank you so much for giving me the
opportunity actually sharing my experience with President
Biden.
To be honest, I'm very heartbroken, very disappointed,
because I believe that Democrats were all about equality,
feminism, women's rights, and I'm being the target of the
Islamic Republic just because of giving voice to voiceless
women, to brave leaders within the country, saying: We want to
end gender apartheid regime.
I wanted to meet with President Biden because when I came
in America, I actually watched a video clip of him, very vocal
and loud, saying that: Let's ban South Africa because of
apartheid.
I was, like: OK. Here, he is the man. He can understand
that why we, the women of Iran, are fighting against gender
apartheid.
But, unfortunately, when the FBI stopped the kidnapping
plot, I just received a letter from President Biden calling me
a hero, thanking me, and I was like: Hey, I'm here. I'm in
America. I want to meet you.
Don't do anything when I got killed. So no answer.
Then the FBI arrested a man with loaded gun in front of my
house. So I believe that if Biden administration was tough on
terror, if they were condemning and taking actions, they
wouldn't have come after me on U.S. soil.
Like, there was a big, gigantic guy in front of my house
who didn't even need to carry gun honestly. He could've just
killed me easily.
So still I'm very surprised that the Vice President, a
woman, this is a dream for Iranian women. We receive award from
the West, but we don't see actions. We don't see that concrete
actions.
They always saying that we stand with the people of Iran,
and I always say that I want you to sit down with us and make
decision about how to end this gender apartheid regime because
an Iran without barbaric regime would benefit the United
States, would benefit the democratic countries. Believe me, we,
the women, are better allies for the U.S. Government compared
to these barbaric mullahs.
So I want the Biden administration first to meet with
people like us. Don't be scared. Second, support the women
inside Iran who say no to Islamic Republic. Instead of
negotiating with these killers, recognize the civil society and
help us, not our killers.
Mr. Ezell. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentlelady from Illinois, Mrs. Ramirez,
for her 5 minutes of questioning.
Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman. I appreciate it.
Thank you to the witnesses that are here today.
You know, after numerous consecutive hearings related only
to how we criminalize immigrants on the border, I'm really glad
that our committee is ready to discuss other threats to our
national security.
I agree that Iran represents a real threat to our national
security, and I fully believe it's our responsibility, as
Members of Congress and Members of this committee, to address
it with the intentionality, the seriousness it merits, and that
we avoid political games to score political points.
Mr. Warrick, earlier a question was put to the panel
regarding Iran and the Southwestern Border, and you were cut
off before you were allowed to answer. So I'm going to give you
about 30 seconds of my time if you briefly want to share your
response with the committee now.
Mr. Warrick. In every one of the known plots that has been
made public, Iran has targeted for recruitment people inside
the United States, either people who were born here or people
who had come here who were not terrorists when they came here.
Many of those have obviously refused to cooperate.
The other part of the reality is, although Mexican drug
cartels frequently feature prominently in FBI charging
documents of Iranian agents, it's almost always that they
thought it was a good idea, and then it turned out, as in the
Arbabsiar plot, that they were actually talking to a DEA
source, or they were talking, in another case, to an FBI human
source.
It's quite fascinating. The Iranian regime has utterly
failed to actually recruit drug cartels in any publicly-
available case that we've seen.
Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you.
Well, speaking of threats to citizens, I hope that I am
speaking for everyone in this room when I say that the attack
from Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians back on October 7 left
us all heartbroken.
It is inexcusable, and I unequivocally condemn Hamas
attacks on Israel and the escalating violence that has
followed, claiming the lives of more than a thousand
Palestinian children in Gaza.
I also join my colleagues in calling for the immediate
release of our hostages and the safe return of all American
citizens in the region, including, we don't talk enough about
the 500 Palestinian Americans that are in Gaza right now and
can't get out.
Because I'm really worried about the escalation of violence
that can lead us as a country and the effect that it will have
on our own national security, that is why I've called on my
colleagues and the administration to use our collective power
and urge for a cease-fire to help deescalate the tensions in
the region and allow for diplomacy to be leveraged to avoid a
multifront conflict.
So, with that in mind, Mr. Warrick, in your experience,
what could we do to ensure protection of our own communities,
here at home, seeing a rise in hate crimes? Specifically what
could we do to deescalate the violence in the Middle East?
Mr. Warrick. So there's a whole discussion to be had about
the importance of community-based programs to try to turn
people away from violence. These programs have been successful.
They need to be funded at scale. Even if it costs $10 billion
to do so, we need to ensure our communities are safe and that
people turn away from violence.
Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you, Mr. Warrick.
So I want to finish by reminding everything on this
committee that--and we say this on both sides--that words we
use to address the threat to our Nation do matter. They hold
power. Our committee shouldn't be a stage to further promote
language of violence and ideals, like Islamophobia and
antisemitism, that endanger the communities we are here to
protect.
Close to 2 weeks ago, 30 minutes away from my district, a
man fueled by the rising Islamophobia and hateful rhetoric
being spewed about carelessly and recklessly, like what we have
heard in this committee over and over again, this man stabbed
this little boy, whose birthday had just passed, 26 times, and
attempted to murder his 32-year-old mother due to their Muslim
religion and being Palestinian.
A 6-year-old and his community is now deprived of his
future. His death is also a failure of this committee, and in
the name of Wadea Al-Fayoume and every single child and family
put at risk by bigotry, as Members of Congress who have sworn
to protect our communities, we must unequivocally stand against
every violent White supremacist ideology that is anti-immigrant
rhetoric, Islamophobic, and antisemitic sentiment.
With his face in mind in all that we do, Chairman, I yield
back.
Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields.
I now recognize the gentlelady from Georgia, Ms. Greene.
Ms. Greene. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Just last week, we witnessed here in this building, in the
Cannon Building, Democrat Members of Congress lead in radical
leftist, Communist, and pro-Hamas terrorist groups in what we
would call an insurrection. If January 6 was an insurrection,
this was absolutely an insurrection of terrorism. They brought
them in this building.
We have watched, just as you mentioned a few minutes ago in
your testimony, we have watched Iran's treatment of women,
which is horrific. But I want you to know it aligns with the
Biden administration's treatment of women.
While they replace women in our sports, in jails, in our
women's clinics, with trans men and say that these men that
pose as women have the same rights as we do, and they
absolutely do not.
We have the Biden administration, Joe Biden, the President
of the United States, wants $100 million given to Gaza, which
is Hamas. That money will absolutely be given to Hamas
terrorism.
Ironically, $100 million is the exact same amount that Iran
gives to Hamas every single year. There's so many similarities
there it is unbelievable.
In 2014, during the Obama administration, the Iranian
Foreign Ministry established what they called an Iran Experts
Initiative. The purpose of this initiative was to build ties
with a global network of prominent academics and researchers,
including in the United States, to improve Iran's image on
global security issues. They have quite an image.
As stated in your testimony, at least two of the people on
the Foreign Ministry's list were or became top aides to Robert
Malley, the Biden administration's Special Envoy on Iran.
Mr. Greenway, isn't it true that Iran has succeeded in
obtaining unprecedented access to and influence over the U.S.
administration's policy toward Iran?
Mr. Greenway. It would appear so, and in a twist of irony,
we've--the Biden administration has employed those under the
control or influence of Iran to negotiate with Iran.
Ms. Greene. Isn't it true that at least three people
selected by the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry were senior
aides to Robert Malley, the Biden administration's Special
Envoy on Iran?
Mr. Greenway. At least three, and he was pulled from his
former position because of his relationship with Hamas.
Ms. Greene. That's why he lost his security clearance; is
that correct?
Mr. Greenway. Insofar as we know on that.
Ms. Greene. Isn't it true that former member of Robert
Malley's Iran negotiating team Ariane Tabatabai was in close
contact with the Iranian regime for years?
Mr. Greenway. She cleared foreign travel documents and
talking points as far as we know, Congresswoman.
Ms. Greene. Isn't it true that she participated in regime-
backed Iran Experts Initiative, which was stood up by Iranian
Foreign Ministry officials in the spring of 2014?
Mr. Greenway. Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Greene. Is it your understanding that the Iran Experts
Initiative was launched to bolster Iran's image on security
matters like its nuclear program?
Mr. Greenway. It is.
Ms. Greene. Is it true that Iran chants ``death to Israel''
and ``death to America''?
Mr. Greenway. They do.
Ms. Greene. Despite all of this, the Biden administration
hired her as a top official within the Department of Defense
where she continues to hold a top security secret clearance,
which affords one access to our Nation's sensitive secrets;
isn't that true?
Mr. Greenway. It is.
Ms. Greene. Is it safe to assume that the Biden
administration may have been influenced by the Iranian regime?
Mr. Greenway. It certainly appears that way.
Ms. Greene. It appears that way to me too.
Ms. Alinejad, I'm sorry if I mispronounced that.
Ms. Alinejad. Don't worry. I'm used to it. People butcher
my name.
Ms. Greene. It's OK. Mine too.
As an Iranian American and someone who has been directly
targeted by the regime, what do you make of the allegations
surrounding Mr. Malley and others implicated in the Iran
Experts Initiative?
Ms. Alinejad. It broke Iranians' heart because we believe
that, when it comes to equality, freedom, doesn't matter
whether you're a Republican or Democrat, you have to show
support for the voice of Iranian people. He downplayed our
cause and he said that Iranian people want reform and respect
from the government, so.
Ms. Greene. As a woman----
Ms. Alinejad. I want to add something about Ariane
Tabatabai. While people in Iran were chanting against the
Islamic Republic and wanting to have an end for this regime,
she came out publicly saying that: Don't take it--Iranians
outside serious when they say we want regime change, because
protesting became part of Iranians' culture, and this is going
to go away.
That's sad because thousands of people got killed and
arrested for participating that protest. It's not part of our
culture. It's part of the frustrations of Iranian people trying
to end the regime within the country.
Ms. Greene. Just one more question. As a woman----
Chairman Green. Actually, we've got to move on. I'm so
sorry. I put this out earlier that I'm going to be tight on
time this time. I think you may not have been here. But I have
done that to both sides, so, sorry.
I now recognize the gentlelady from New York, Ms. Clarke.
Ms. Clarke. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and good
morning to everyone.
Let me start by thanking our witnesses for joining us
today.
Ahead of the 2020 Presidential election, Iranian actors,
posing as members of the pro-Trump Proud Boys, sent threatening
email messages to Democratic voters in battleground States,
circulated a video that falsely alleged voter fraud, and gained
access to an election results website, with the overall goal to
undermine public confidence in U.S. elections, as was indicated
by Ms. Alinejad and certainly alluded to by many of my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Mr. Warrick, my question to you is, the 2020--with the
national 2024 Presidential election a little over a year away
and campaigns already well under way, do you anticipate Iranian
actors will, once again, attempt to meddle in U.S. elections
through influence operations, and how do you expect evolutions
in technology, as indicated by Mr. Garbarino, in AI, will
affect these tactics?
Mr. Warrick. So you can count on Iranian attempts to try to
meddle in our election. We need to, therefore, as a country, be
prepared to understand it, detect it, and resist it.
I have to say, Iran, though, as an AI power, is dwarfed by
China as an AI threat to the United States. In fact, meddling
in our election from Russia and China ought also to be
important concerns of this committee.
It's very important that the committee, on a bipartisan
basis, encourage American citizens to understand, detect, and
resist foreign efforts to sow disinformation and division in
our country.
Ms. Clarke. Thank you, Mr. Warrick.
In the wake of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last
year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
launched the Shields Up campaign which galvanized efforts to
improve network defenses in anticipation of increased cyber
attacks from Russia.
Should we be concerned that Iran could engage in malicious
activity in cyber space to punish the United States for its
support of Israel and erode public support for it?
Mr. Warrick. Yes, absolutely.
Ms. Clarke. Mr. Warrick, how can CISA's successful Shields
Up campaign serve as a model for defending against and building
resilience to potential cyber attacks from Iran?
Mr. Warrick. So CISA's campaign was intended to encourage,
not the big companies that frankly can take care of themselves,
but small businesses that are so dominant in our country, and
individual citizens, to take the basic measures of cyber
hygiene that are recommended by every technical expert and by
CISA's experts.
We all need to protect ourselves against these threats.
Homeland Security really does begin at home.
Ms. Clarke. Thank you very much.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back a minute and 42
seconds.
Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields. Thank you.
Mr. D'Esposito from New York is recognized for his 5
minutes of questioning.
Mr. D'Esposito. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank
you to everyone for being here this morning.
Mr. Warrick, I'm not sure if it was in your opening
statement or in response to one of the questions, but you
mentioned that we need to increase our defense at home.
So my question to you is, does increasing our defense at
home include securing our Southern Border?
Mr. Warrick. I really want to commend you. The supplemental
proposal that was submitted for $14 billion to strengthen the
security and efficiency of the way the border and immigration
system works. This is a very serious effort. I'll be the first
to tell you I think more is needed. Would love to talk to you
and Members of the committee about how that could be done.
Mr. D'Esposito. That would be great. So the answer is, yes,
we need to increase our defense at home, and that includes
securing our Southern Border.
Mr. Warrick. I am always in favor of border security and--
--
Mr. D'Esposito. So I'll take that as a yes.
Ambassador, I represent the Fourth District of New York,
which probably has the largest Jewish population of any
Congressional district across the country.
After the horrific attacks that Hamas launched on Israel,
former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal called for Muslims to target
and attack Israeli interests and Jews across the globe. We've
obviously seen that.
Given your background, what effects do messages like these
have on individuals here in America who may have become
radicalized and are in the shadows waiting to commit a lone-
wolf attack?
Mr. Sales. Well, Congressman, I share your concern about
the rising antisemitism that has poisoned our public debate,
particularly since October 7.
You know, it might be comforting to think of antisemites
as, you know, fringe radicals who occupy, you know, the shadows
of our society, but in fact, October 7 has made them feel
emboldened to come out and be more vocal about their hatred of
Jews and in some cases their desire to see follow-on attacks
somehow even worse than what we saw on October 7.
What has been most disheartening to me as a former
university professor is the extent to which these extreme
voices are coming from our elite institutions. When you have
Ivy league professors saying publicly that they felt
exhilarated by the images coming out of Israel, ``exhilarated''
is not the word I would use to describe the decapitation of
babies. It's not the word I would use to describe parents and
children being bound together with wire and set ablaze.
There is a sickness in academia, and I say this with regret
rather than anger because, for far too long, support for the
most violent and depraved antisemitic rhetoric, we've just
turned the other eye--just turned the other cheek. We have to
stop.
Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you. So, like I said, back home,
probably one of the largest Jewish communities, and I am
honored to work every day, especially as a former NYPD
detective, work with our county executive, Bruce Blakeman, and
our police commissioner, Pat Ryder, and the villages that fall
into this district, to keep our shuls, our synagogues, our
yeshivas, to keep them safe.
What else can be done, not only in the law enforcement
aspect but as communities? What's the messages that we can
share back home in order to promote and encourage and actually
keep these communities safe?
Mr. Sales. Well, I think the most important thing is the
visible presence of law enforcement at soft targets, like the
ones you mentioned, can have an important deterrent effect.
We know that when terrorist attacks happen, that often
inspires others to take matters into their own hands and commit
follow-on or copycat attacks.
If there's a police cruiser outside a synagogue, that makes
it much less likely that somebody's going to take a chance.
So I think starting with the basics. Visible demonstrations
of security are an important deterrent to further attacks.
Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you very much.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Sheila
Jackson Lee.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Mr. Chairman, thank you, and thank you to
you and the Ranking Member for holding an important discussion.
I think it is important to establish the heinousness of the
attacks by Hamas and the violence shown.
We, in America, should be steadfast and in affront the
outrage of antisemitism and the violence that it generates, and
we must ensure as well that as this Nation respects all faith,
that we tolerate no violence against any faith, including
Muslim Americans.
I think, in this committee, we want to have the homeland
protected, and we want to be able to be honest and speak to
those issues as very important, that we protect against such
violence, should not be tolerated.
I am grateful, Mr. Warrick, for your presence here and all
the other witnesses, and may I start with you on this whole
concept of Iran using the forward defense. One would call that
cheating and hiding--cheating by having violence perpetrated
but hiding behind other groups.
``Forward defense'' is a nice Foreign Affairs term, but I
think that is what it is, and so can you dig a little deeper
into that strategy? That is, using Hezbollah, using Hamas, and
other terrorist groups in Iran either funding or directing,
giving strategy, training, and how dangerous that is, and as a
Homeland Security Department, Homeland Security Committee, how
much attention we should give to that issue.
Mr. Warrick. So I know the nuclear file gets a lot of
attention, but, in fact, Iran's use of proxies, that is to say,
its use of military forces not under the control of the
national government of the country in which they're located, is
actually one of the gravest threats that Iran poses to the
region, and it's the way Iran is trying to project its power
against Israel and our Arab partners.
This is, therefore, something that needs to be addressed in
the most serious possible way and very much should be the focus
of a bipartisan, sustainable strategy against Iran that does
not oscillate no matter who controls the White House or the
Houses of Congress.
We need the same bipartisan sustained approach that
succeeded so well for us in the Cold War against the Soviet
Union and the bipartisanship we see in our approach toward
China today.
We need to have the same bipartisanship in our approach to
the threat that Iran poses through proxies and surrogates like
Hamas and Hezbollah.
Ms. Jackson Lee. We cannot turn our backs on that. We
cannot ignore.
Mr. Warrick. Absolutely.
Ms. Jackson Lee. They can possibly recruit other groups and
utilize them.
The State Department has called them the leading proponent
of terrorism.
How much do you think Iran knew about Hamas' October 7
bloody attack?
Mr. Warrick. They may not have known the exact day and hour
of the attack, but they helped fund, train, and equip, and
provide facilities for Hamas to carry out some of its deadly
attacks.
So, as everyone on this panel agrees, they are as
responsible as anyone other than Hamas' own leadership in the
deaths that were suffered on October 7.
Ms. Jackson Lee. I think that should be loudly pronounced,
so let me take you to this point.
I think you will recall, during the Obama administration a
very serious decision was made, an agreement was made regarding
its nuclear assets. I can tell you that the Members that were
here included myself. We had books and books of materials. We
went into any number of briefings. We wanted to make sure that
every line that we could ask, every question, every nuance, was
pursued, and finally felt that the agreement was the best way
to go.
So my question to you is: You mentioned in your testimony
that Iranian cyber attacks went down while they were beholden
to the Iran nuclear deal, and other aspects of their bad
behavior. If Iran was following the guidelines then, can you
just, you know, explore that concept, that there was an impact,
and whether or not--and we've probably--you know, I hate to say
the door is closed, but what kind of future potential any of
that has, but mainly there was an impact?
Mr. Warrick. Yes. It's important to understand Iran's
peculiar sense of symmetry. It makes it understandable and
should help guide us in our efforts to defend the homeland,
because anything done to the Iranians, they'll find some way to
do something similar to the United States.
This is why I say that deterrence doesn't work but raising
our defenses does.
Ms. Jackson Lee. So your next steps for this committee
would be what?
Mr. Warrick. We have to encourage the American people to do
more on cybersecurity. The private sector in particular, and
many businesses, the small businesses, the backbone of our
country, do not have enough cybersecurity protection.
It's important for the American people to increase our
cyber defenses. I'm not worried about the big, you know,
Amazon, Google, those companies. I'm worried about the medium
and small businesses and what each of us individually can do.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields.
I now recognize the gentlelady from Florida, Ms. Laurel
Lee.
Ms. Lee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for convening this
important hearing.
The horrific atrocities happening right now in Israel by
Iran-backed Hamas terrorists are heartbreaking. Israel should
know that Congress remains steadfast in our support and our
commitment to provide them with the tools necessary to defend
themselves and the resources to eradicate the perpetrators of
these heinous acts.
This administration must recognize that Iran will not
negotiate in good faith, bears responsibility for strengthening
terrorist proxies around the world, and is still a state
sponsor of terrorism.
I want to be sure we bring to light today the human rights
abuses being perpetrated by Iran against its citizens and, in
particular, the abuses being perpetrated against women and
girls.
Ms. Alinejad, I commend you on your courage in speaking out
despite the threats to your safety and the danger to you. I'd
like to return to your story because it is important for us to
understand, to have a first-hand picture of the status of women
and girls in what you described earlier as gender apartheid.
Would you please share with us what that looks like for
citizens of Iran?
Ms. Alinejad. It looks miserable. Imagine you go out by
just showing a bit of your hair, you're not even sure whether
you're going to go back home alive or not.
Recently the Islamic Republic actually beaten up a woman
called Mahsa Amini. She was unveiled. She refused the morality
police, she got beaten up, and then they sent her to mental
hospital because they believe women who say no to compulsory
hijab, they are mentally deranged.
Let me make sure that women of the Middle East, Iran, who
can face these barbaric regimes, they are the most stable women
in the region, in the world.
But, yes, a regime that kick out girls from the age of 7
from school if they don't cover their hair; if you don't call
it a gender apartheid, then what do you call it?
A regime that actually do not allow women to travel abroad
without getting permission from their husband--we're not even
allowed to go to stadium. We're not even allowed to dance.
We're not allowed to sing--to sing solo.
Women are not allowed to run for, you know, Presidential
election. They cannot run the country. Believe me, we have more
powerful women, educated women, compared to Rouhani, Raisi, and
these killers.
So women are being count like second-class citizens from
the age of 7. That is why I believe that Democrats,
Republicans, you can get united and help us to expand the
definition of apartheid, in all international law, to include
gender as well.
That's how we, the women of Iran and women of Afghanistan,
we can easily fight back the gender apartheid regime in the
Middle East.
Ms. Lee. What can we be doing as a committee, as a
Congress, as a country, what can we be doing to help fight for
the status of women and girls in Iran?
Ms. Alinejad. You can do a lot. First of all, as I said
that women receive Nobel Peace Prize this year, Sakharov Award
from European Parliament, but the real award for us is that you
take the lead and ask your allies in democratic countries first
to name the Islamic Republic as it is, gender apartheid;
second, support the civil society inside Iran; and, third,
instead of negotiating with the killers, negotiate with women,
negotiate with the leaders, negotiate with oppositions, and be
ready to see an Iran without Islamic Republic.
Because I'm being the target of the assassination plot,
don't ask me to go under witness protection. I'm not in a
position to ask questions, but how many of you, if you face
killers in front of your house, your government comes to you
and say that, ``OK, we love you, just go and get disappeared,
be silent,'' would you accept that? How many of you accept
that?
This is America. By the First Amendment, freedom of speech,
I want you to help me be as loud as I can because I'm not here
to save Iranians. I'm not here to save just my own homeland in
Iran. I'm an American citizen as well. I'm here, like millions
of Iranians, to Save America from one of the most dangerous
virus which is called Islamic Republic.
I know there is a famous expression in America, what
happened in Vegas is going to stay in Vegas, correct? But what
happened in the Middle East is not going to stay in the Middle
East.
The Islamic Republic is more deadlier than coronavirus.
They're going to infect the rest of the world. So I want none
of the Democrats Congresswomen, none of them condemned
assassination plot. It breaks my heart.
When women were White, all the Congresswomen wore white in
the Congress, I was so excited. I thought this is because of
White Wednesday's campaigns against compulsory hijab. So I want
women, Democrats, Republicans, right, left, see this as
bipartisan and help us to end this gender apartheid regime
where this will benefit the rest of the world.
Ms. Lee. Thank you, Ms. Alinejad.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields.
I now recognize the gentleman from California, Mr.
Swalwell.
Mr. Swalwell. First, I want to address what happened in
Israel just a few weeks ago and want to absolutely, in the
harshest way, condemn the terrorism committed by Hamas. Period.
Some sentiments do not need a comma. What Hamas did was
terrorism. Period. That says nothing about what the Palestinian
people not affiliated with Hamas deserve.
I also want to say that, as Israel defends itself, which it
has an absolute right to do, as a country that respects the
rule of law, they also have a responsibility to protect and
look out for innocent life. Period.
That does not say anything about the Israelis' right to
have a Jewish state. It just says we all expect that we will
look out for innocent people.
I also believe that at home we have to look out for Jewish,
Arab, and Muslim Americans who are unfairly being targeted as
antisemitism and Islamophobia is on the rise, and that's
something this committee can work on collectively.
Also, as leaders in the Congress, we all should think about
the space that must be created, once the humanitarian crisis in
Gaza is addressed, to create a two-state solution where both
the Israeli people and the Palestinian people can live in their
own peace and have their own economic prosperity. We should all
strive to do that in the coming days, weeks, and months.
I also want to talk about what the Chairman said at the
top, as far as the Iranian people should be separated and
distinguished from the regime.
Mr. Greenway, you work for Heritage. Is that correct?
Mr. Greenway. It is, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. They're your employer?
Mr. Greenway. They are.
Mr. Swalwell. You work there because you support their
mission?
Mr. Greenway. I do, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. At the top, Chairman Green, who I commend for
his statement, said, the freedom-loving Iranian people who are
suffering under the oppressive regime, that we must recognize
we cannot essentially paint an entire population with one brush
stroke.
Do you agree with that sentiment?
Mr. Greenway. I agree, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. On October 19 of this year, the Heritage
Foundation tweeted out: The Palestinian population has no
interest in assimilating into American culture and governance
or in expressing loyalty to America or our allies. To import a
population of Palestinians would be certain suicide for
Americans.
Do you denounce that tweet, Mr. Greenway?
Mr. Greenway. I don't denounce it. I agree that there's a
threat, and it constitutes open borders and immigration
policies without controls, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. You don't believe that casting a broad stroke
and essentially associating every Palestinian with Hamas is in
direct conflict with what the Chairman said at the very top?
Mr. Greenway. I think everyone coming into the country
needs to be fully screened and vetted so they don't constitute
a threat, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. Do you believe every Palestinian individual
is affiliated with Hamas?
Mr. Greenway. No, I don't, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. Well, then, why can't you denounce the tweet?
Mr. Greenway. What I agree with, Congressman, is that
everyone coming into the country needs to be fully screened so
that we don't constitute an unsatisfactory threat to the United
States.
Mr. Swalwell. On the same day, Heritage tweeted, America
should not--``NOT'' all capitalized--resettle Palestinians. To
import a population of Palestinians would be certain suicide
for Americans--again implying that any Palestinian who would
come to America would bring violence. Do you denounce this
tweet?
Mr. Greenway. I think anyone coming into the country needs
to be fully screened and vetted, and it's the policy of the
neighbors of Palestine itself not to accept additional
refugees.
Mr. Swalwell. So I don't disagree with you. I don't think
anyone here disagrees that every person who comes here should
be vetted. I don't support open borders. I don't know a single
Democrat here who supports open borders.
What I want to know is why you cannot denounce the idea
that every Palestinian should be treated as if they're a member
of Hamas.
Mr. Greenway. I think everyone comes into the country,
Congressman----
Mr. Swalwell. We're not talking about border security.
We're talking about that the sentiment tweeted, that
Palestinians, every single one of them, if they came here,
would be certain suicide for Americans.
Mr. Greenway. I think we've got an unacceptable risk of
individuals crossing the country that have been screened and
vetted, and it's a threat to every American, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. OK. Assuming you screen a Palestinian who
comes here, do you believe that Palestinian should be treated
as a member of Hamas?
Mr. Greenway. I think everyone should have the same applied
threshold, the screening and security, before they enter the
United States. It's not currently happening.
Mr. Swalwell. Do you know that Heritage deleted these
tweets?
Mr. Greenway. If you say so, I assume they did,
Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. Do you want to delete the sentiment that you
just expressed casting Palestinians as all being affiliated
with Hamas?
Mr. Greenway. It's not what I said, Congressman. I said,
everyone coming in the United States requires screening and
vetting before they are allowed entry so they don't constitute
a threat.
Mr. Swalwell. I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize Mr. Strong, the gentleman from----
Mr. Swalwell. I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman. Can I just enter
into the--unanimous consent, to enter the two deleted tweets on
October 19, 2023, by Heritage----
Chairman Green. Without objection, so moved.
[The information follows:]
Mr. Swalwell. Thank you.
Chairman Green. The gentleman from Alabama is recognized.
Mr. Strong. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Greenway, I know you didn't get to answer that
question. I want to yield 20 seconds to you if you want to.
Mr. Greenway. No. No. I appreciate it, Congressman. Thank
you.
Mr. Strong. I want to take a moment and express my
unwavering support for the nation of Israel. The civilized
world watched in horror as Hamas terrorists carried out brutal,
barbaric, unprovoked attacks against the people of Israel.
I stand with our great ally as they fight to eliminate the
dire threat to their survival posed by the Iranian-backed
terrorists.
While the full extent of Iran's involvement in the October
7 attack is not yet known, this much is clear. Iran was
complicit in the attacks having provided financial, material,
and logistical support to Hamas for years.
I'm proud that House Republicans have unified and
unequivocally in support of Israel, and I thank the Chairman
for holding this important and timely hearing to examine the
threat of Iran which extends far beyond the Middle East.
Over the last few days, we have seen 13 separate attacks by
Iranian-backed proxies on U.S. service members. As a Member of
this committee and the House Armed Services Committee, I find
it completely unacceptable that the administration has not
responded forcefully.
Ambassador Sales, what steps would you advise the President
to take to deter this type of aggression?
Mr. Sales. Well, Congressman, I think actions speak louder
than words. We've heard just yesterday from the Secretary of
State, the right message, which is that if Iran harms American
service members, we reserve the right to respond forcefully to
defend our people, to defend our interests.
But it's not an ``if.'' It's already happened. Reportedly
more than two dozen American service members have been injured
in the course of this rocket and drone campaign by Iran-backed
proxies over the past week.
What are we waiting for? How many more have to be injured
before we restore deterrence? Do we have to wait for people to
die before we establish deterrence?
The way to avoid an escalatory situation in the Middle
East, the way to avoid being dragged into a war, which we all
want to avoid, is to enforce red lines with actions, not simply
rhetoric.
Mr. Strong. Thank you.
As my friend from Mississippi highlighted earlier, the
Office of the Director of National Intelligence 2023 Annual
Threat Assessment states: Iran will continue to threaten U.S.
persons directly or by way of proxy attacks. Particularly in
the Middle East, Iran also remains committed to developing
surrogate networks inside the United States, an objective it
has pursued for more than a decade.
Mr. Greenway, can you explain to the committee how Iran
develops terror networks within the United States?
Mr. Greenway. Thanks for the question, Congressman. For
decades, and as I mentioned in oral and written testimony, the
first assassination attempt conducted by the Islamic Republic
in 1980 was in the United States just outside the capital.
They have since built an infrastructure, built on their
surrogates and proxies that conduct operational activity,
espionage, foreign influence, and now cyber attacks.
All of that has expanded and all of that, it seems, has
been deprioritized, again, in the change in administration
policies. I think we're exposed as a result of it.
Mr. Strong. Thank you.
Mr. Greenway, when you were at the National Security
Council, what steps did the previous administration take to
dismantle Iranian-backed terrorist networks, and how does that
differ from what we're seeing with the current administration?
Mr. Greenway. Thank you, Congressman.
First, we denied access to all resources available through
exports, through foreign accessible exchange, and through trade
balances, and that, in essence, deprived them of resources to
constitute and sustain these networks.
Second, we prioritized law enforcement in order to conduct
operations in the United States that would aggressively pursue
these threats and apply the full range of law enforcement
options against them.
Third, we employed a strong and robust relationship with
partners and allies to do the same. We didn't incentivize the
taking of hostages. We penalized the taking of hostages, and so
we didn't require the exchange of resources to obtain them.
Mr. Strong. Did you happen to see the statement of the
Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres? I
quote what he said this morning: Hamas attacks had to be seen
in the context of years of suffocating occupation.
What are your thoughts on that?
Mr. Greenway. I think if we had heard a similar sentiment
after 9/11, we'd have been offended, and I think many here
today were offended by his remarks.
The only appropriate response to the terrorism we saw from
Hamas is condemnation and absolute offense.
Mr. Strong. Do you believe he ought to be removed from
United Nations?
Mr. Greenway. I don't see why he should stay in his office
after making those comments.
Mr. Strong. I totally agree.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the gentlelady from Nevada, Ms. Titus.
Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding
this hearing. It's an important topic that we should be
discussing.
Unfortunately, over the last year or so, every topic that
we should be discussing always just kind of evolves into the
Southern Border, no matter what.
Meantime, we aren't talking about cybersecurity, which is
very important. We've done very little about anti-racism,
antisemitism, anti-Muslims, anti-Asians in the wake of COVID.
All of that has kind-of gone by the wayside.
I've just been jotting down notes, and this is going to
sound pretty disjointed, but the things I've been hearing from
the other side of the aisle are so outrageous, I have a hard
time putting them into anything comprehensive.
If we want to talk about the Southern Border in relation to
Iran's threat on the United States, you know, let's go back to
9/11 and the people who were the terrorists there. I don't
recall any of those terrorists getting into the United States
by swimming across the Rio Grande, pretending to be a brown,
poor person from El Salvador. They came other ways.
Maybe we should be looking at some other things that we
should be doing to prevent these terrorists from coming into
the country.
Mr. Warrick, could you address that?
Mr. Warrick. Yes, you are correct that the 9/11 terrorists
entered through ports of entry, airports. A number of measures
were taken after 9/11 to tighten up that possibility and to
make it much, much harder. Those efforts were carried out by
both Democratic and Republican administrations, and they have
been very successful compared with what happened before 9/11.
We really do need to appreciate that Iran seeks to recruit
people who are already here in the United States, because it's
much easier, as they see it, to do that. We need to make it a
lot harder for that to happen. But the way to do that is to
educate Americans, inform Americans, and be careful as public
officials make statements.
As you correctly said, we need to denounce both
antisemitism and Islamophobia. Educating Americans in the kinds
of things that Iran is doing to us for real is actually very
important.
Ms. Titus. I've also heard the call for regime change and
sanctions work, but we need to do more. I don't know what more
you want us to do. It's not been very specific. You've said,
``Let me speak,'' which is happening. You are speaking.
``Support NGO's.'' We've tried to do that I know through the
State Department.
I don't--are you wanting us to send troops? We heard some
of the Dem--I mean the, excuse me, Republican candidates in
their last debate suggesting we send troops across the border
to go after the cartels. We've heard here that the cartels are
connected to some of the Iranian terrorists.
Mr. Warrick, you kind of debunked that. Should we be
sending troops? Can we send troops into Mexico to go after the
cartels? Because not only do they have fentanyl, but apparently
they are smuggling in terrorists from the Middle East.
Mr. Warrick. There is a lot that can be done to disrupt the
efforts of cartels to try to get drugs into our country. Many
of them are in the appropriations supplemental request the
administration has requested for inspection equipment that
would do a much better job of keeping our country more secure
from these drug shipments than trying to send troops chasing
after mobile drug labs in Mexico.
Ms. Titus. We also haven't heard anything about the United
Nation's collective sanctions expiring last week on Iran's
ability to acquire and send ballistic missiles. We haven't
talked about the JCPOA and pulling out of that and what impact
that has had. Perhaps those are topics that should be
addressed.
We've heard about some problems in the State Department
with having Iranian sympathizers I guess advising us, but we
didn't hear much about President Trump giving nuclear secrets
to a high-level Russian diplomat that we don't even share with
our allies and Russia's connection to Iran. Maybe we should
talk about that.
I think the only really good thing that I heard coming out
was a reference to my district that what happens in Vegas stays
in Vegas. Let me assure you, it doesn't. It stays on the
internet.
Thank you.
Chairman Green. Does the gentlelady yield? OK, the
gentlelady yields.
I now recognize Mr. Brecheen, the gentleman from Oklahoma,
for his 5 minutes of questioning.
Mr. Brecheen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
What happened 11 days ago was pure evil. We know that we
have 32 Americans that are included among those dead. We have
11 Americans that are--we are hopeful there's going to be a
positive outcome to their missing status. One thousand four
hundred Israelis that are dead, thousands injured, 200
hostages. People across the world are praying for a good
result.
But this committee hearing about protecting our homeland,
we do have to talk about the Southern Border and, thus, the
reason for this hearing. You had 659 special interest
individuals from Iran alone that came across our Southern
Border in the last several years. I want to repeat that: 659
special interest aliens from Iran that have come across that
Southern Border, and that excludes the 1.5 million gotaways.
There are 70,000 individuals that are known as special interest
that have come across the Southern Border in 2 years from over
150 different countries.
The approach to our Southern Border, people say, well, you
know, why should we be so concerned about that? The
assassination plot to kill former President Bush by ISIS
operatives, that was found out in the spring of 2022.
I want to repeat that just so that people hear that. We had
a former President of the United States that was under the
threat of being killed, and that absolutely involved the
Southern Border.
Mr. Sales, you had some commentary, as a former State
Department official, Homeland Security official, I found
astounding. It was incredible information.
In addition to this, specific to Iran, the reason, the
purpose for this hearing, John Bolton was targeted. Mike Pompeo
was targeted. These are former key officials that have been
targeted specifically by Iran. These are people to be taken
out.
We had an author of a book in August 2022 who was stabbed
in New York City.
Ms. Alinejad--I hope I got your name correct--you
personally have been the target of a kidnapping plot, and my
understanding is that an Iranian American. You had someone when
you were a journalist in Iran years ago who was picked up in
France who was kidnapped and later killed in Iran. You had
someone show up at your front door with an AK-47 trying to kill
you. There is an adjudication taking place within the United
States about three individuals who have tried to kill you tied
to Iran.
So that transitions me to my question. I sent a letter to
President Biden. I am grateful to a number of colleagues who
have signed onto this letter.
There is an attempt, there is a call--I want to kind-of
recite some of this letter: Dear President Biden, we understand
there is an encouragement to bring Palestinians to be paroled
into the United States following the Hamas attack on innocent
Israelis on October 7. In the past week, we've seen protests,
cities, colleges across America. It's deeply concerning that
these have put on display the hatred against the Jewish people.
There was a New York City Democrat Socialist of America who
stood in the midst of one of these protests saying he might do
the same thing because there's nothing left to lose.
My letter goes on to call this administration to the fact
that they are not granted Federal statutory authority to do
mass parole like they have done on the Southern Border, 30,000
a month with those coming out of Gaza.
Here's my question: Ms. Alinejad, because your life has
been threatened specifically, can you imagine an administration
embracing the concept of those out of Gaza, which we know from
the Washington Institute polling says 57 percent of those
inside Gaza right now, 57 percent inside of Gaza right now
support Hamas or have a favorable opinion of Hamas.
Can you imagine what would happen--I'm interested--if we
were to start granting those from Gaza access into the United
States?
Ms. Alinejad. I mean, in my opinion, that a lot of people
in Palestine, in Iran, in the Middle East, they really don't
support Hamas and Islamic Republic or terrorist groups, but
they are being like hostage in the hand of this terrorist
regime. They don't have any other option.
But, honestly, I have to say that right now there are many
Iranians in America, in Canada, they have strong link with the
Revolutionary Guards. Right after Mahsa Amini got killed, many
of them appeared on TV and praising the Revolutionary Guards.
Mr. Brecheen. Just for a second of my time, I want to
specify my question. I understand kind-of where you're going.
Let me give you an example of what happened with Afghanistan.
Chairman Green. Very, very quickly. Very quickly.
Mr. Brecheen. In Afghanistan, we know that the investigator
general has said to this administration for those that were
allowed to parole, to come to the United States, that they
lacked extensive background checks.
Are you greatly concerned about----
Ms. Alinejad. I am concerned.
Mr. Brecheen [continuing]. Because they didn't have names
or identification specific to these individuals. Are you
concerned about those coming from Gaza into the United States
without being thoroughly vetted?
Ms. Alinejad. No, of course, I want to do the background
check. This is my concern. I'm sure that many, many times that
a lot of Iranians, they just came without doing background
check. Even the members of Revolutionary Guards, they were a
part of the delegation of Ibrahim Raisi when they came to the
United States. So they have been given visa. But many ordinary
Iranians, educated people, they have been denied to receive
visa, including like members, family members of those who got
killed.
Mr. Brecheen. Thank you very much. I yield back.
Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
I now recognize the Ranking Member for his closing
statement.
Mr. Thompson. Let me thank the witnesses for their
testimony.
One of the charges we have as a committee is to collect
information from witnesses just like you and hopefully fashion
some form of legislation that can support what we've heard.
I still believe in America. I don't see us becoming a
bully. I see us still as a passionate country that understand
oppression by other people, and part of that oppression is to
try to come somewhere with a common ground.
So, you know, we all represent 700,000-plus people. I say
that to say that, since I've been in this hearing today, I've
gotten several messages from constituents who want to speak to
me directly. I'm talking about today. Sometimes that's a
challenge for Members. I can only imagine what the President is
faced with, given his challenges and all he has to deal with.
But I support our law enforcement. I support our
intelligence-gathering agencies. Since I've been on this
committee, since its inception, I've never voted against an
appropriation part. I've questioned some of the policies, but I
believe that we have to invest.
Under my direction, we created CISA. We created some of the
other agencies that help us protect America. I think we
absolutely have to continue that. The Weapons of Mass
Destruction Committee. All those things we created, but we have
to invest in it.
The President has offered some appropriation opportunities
for us to help protect America. I hope we get support,
bipartisan support to make that happen. Otherwise, we'll just
be forever languishing and talking.
So, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your holding this hearing
and to understand how Hamas' horrific attacks against Israel
impacts threats posed by the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime
poses a range of threats to our national security. As Members
of Congress, we must be mindful that our efforts to call out
and confront these threats posed by the Iranian regime and its
proxies do not result in scapegoating Iranian people.
We must also be mindful to condemn antisemitism and
Islamophobia here at home.
I want to comment on remarks made by Congresswoman Greene
that sought to conflate peaceful protests that took place last
week with the January 6 insurrection. I chaired the January 6
Select Committee. What I saw in our committee over months of
investigation says quite the contrary.
I believe in the right to free speech. I believe in the
right to peacefully assemble. I'm from a part of the country
that, as a person of color, the law prevented that from
happening until our Federal Government stepped in and created
an opportunity that everybody in my State of Mississippi not
could just vote but could eat and sleep where they chose to.
That's the greatness of this country.
So I don't want to marginalize anyone. But what happened on
January 6 was a travesty to this country, and that's part of
that misinformation that some of you talked about here today.
It's that misinformation that causes some people to act in ways
that's not normal and in some instances illegal.
So facts matter. I hope we understand that, while we all
have our magic 5 minutes, we are obligated to come with the
truth.
Mr. Chair, I appreciate you as Chair. I think there are
some opportunities for us to fashion legislation around this.
There are opportunities to strengthen some of those agencies we
have.
I would say, but I didn't object, that some of the
information shared was either Law-Enforcement Sensitive or
almost Classified, but, you know, if Members want to run out
here and say it that's fine, but I just think that we ought to
understand that, in our zeal to make our points in 5 minutes,
we should also take into consideration the importance of the
responsibilities we hold as Members of Congress.
So, with that, I yield back.
Chairman Green. Thank you, Ranking Member.
I want to thank the Members for their amazing testimony
today. I agree with the Ranking Member. I think there's a lot
of good stuff, especially in these opening statements from
every witness, on what we can do from a legislation standpoint.
I'll look forward to working with the Ranking Member to put
some of that to pen to paper and get something done.
As we've heard from our witnesses, the threats posed by the
Iranian regime remain significant to the United States homeland
and our allies, like Israel. The regime is the world's worst
state sponsor of terrorism, utilizing its surrogates, like
Hezbollah and other terrorist proxies, to conduct nefarious
activities. The regime remains committed to develop proxy
networks inside the homeland, which should concern us all.
Mr. Warrick mentioned that the Iranian regime has not
effectively connected with the drug cartels yet. They failed in
their efforts, as I understood. But his implication of that is,
because of that, it shouldn't be a concern for us. I think
that's foolhardy.
Iran hasn't dropped a nuclear device into the United
States. It has not used a nuclear device in the United States.
Because of that, that doesn't give us an excuse to just write
off that as a threat because it hasn't been done yet.
I think that reasoning is flawed. I believe that our open
Southern Border, coupled with the threats from abroad and from
within, are a significant concern. In fact, I think they're a
significant national security threat.
Mr. Warrick also mentioned that the greater threat is from
recruitment inside the United States. I don't necessarily
disagree with that statement. You can look at our college
campuses in the past week since this attack, and it looks like
there's a pretty large pool of people to recruit from. That is
also concerning to me, and I appreciated your testimony on
that.
I want to talk a little bit about policy for just a second
because we talk about, you know, how policy doesn't have an
impact.
If you give $6 billion to a terrorist regime and then it's
supposed to be humanitarian--we've got all these guarantees
that it's humanitarian--and then a couple of days after the
transaction the very president, leader, the Supreme Leader of
Iran says, ``We'll use that for whatever we want,'' and then
you don't take it back, then, I mean, that emboldens enemies.
You know, you take, for example, the insistence on the
JCPOA just continuing to negotiate this deal with Iran, who
really, from my perspective, has been an enemy since 1979 to
the United States when they took Americans and held them
hostage for 444 days, unbelievable. The Khobar Towers, the
Beirut bombing. We just recently I think celebrated it was the
40th anniversary of those Marines who died.
All of that Hezbollah, Iranian-backed proxies, you can't
turn a blind eye to that and go cut a deal with somebody
because it does nothing but embolden them, a lot like the way
we withdrew from Afghanistan I believe emboldened Vladimir
Putin to think that he could get away with invading Ukraine.
Weakness is like slap--it's provocation. It's like slapping
your enemy in the face. That's what I see from the policies of
this administration. I have to call it out. I'd be
irresponsible if I didn't.
We've also heard today from Ms. Alinejad that Tehran
continues to target current and former U.S. Government
officials, dissidents, journalists right here in our country,
and this is unacceptable.
Additionally, we have to secure our Southwest Border, as
I've said. There's no doubt that the regime and its cherished
proxies could exploit the glaring vulnerabilities there. We
know for a fact, we've caught terrorists trying to get through.
That number has exponentially grown.
Is it just--are we to expect that the terrorists are
intentionally going only to the crossing sites to get caught?
That defies logic. In that 1.7 million gotaways, let's say it's
just the same percentage. That's still one too many. We've got
to secure our Southwest Border if we want to protect America.
I appreciated the comments about cyber. One of the
initiatives we've taken is to try to get to a whole-of-
Government approach on cyber. I formed, with the approval of
then-Speaker McCarthy, to have all of the Cyber Subcommittees
come together in a quarterly meeting. We've passed cyber
legislation here.
Our Cyber subcommittee, led by Mr. Garbarino, has done some
amazing work. I agree, our cyber border is just as vulnerable
and just as important as our Southwest Border. That Cyber
subcommittee is tackling the issue of work force. We're 500,000
jobs short in cybersecurity. I noted some other recommendations
in here on cybersecurity, and we're going to take those and go
forward with them. I appreciate the witnesses bringing that up.
But we've got to remain vigilant to counter all of the
threats, not just the cyber threats but also the Southwest
Border. The threats from folks being recruited here in the
United States. I couldn't agree more.
I too want to say to the U.S. members of the Jewish
community, we will fight antisemitism with our last breath. It
should not ever be tolerated. The Members of Congress who are
reticent or whatever it is to sign onto a resolution condemning
Hamas, I cannot make an excuse for that. It is inconceivable to
me.
The Members of this committee may have some additional
questions for the witnesses that they will submit in writing
and the witnesses have 10 days in accordance with our rule,
committee rule VII(D), to get that back to us and into the
record.
Without objection, the committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 12:19 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]
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