[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E300-E301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IRAN SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM WORLDWIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 4, 2014

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, recent attention on Iran has focused 
on its nuclear weapons program--but this is not the whole picture.
  Iran is also the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism.
  Using both its own military operatives and its proxy Hezbollah, Iran 
has planned attacks around the globe.
  Iran has no problem sending members of its Revolutionary Guard Corps 
and Quds Force to target Western interests abroad.
  They also have their very own terrorist organization--Hezbollah--to 
do their bidding.
  The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps funds, trains, arms, and 
directs Hezbollah, one of the world's deadliest terrorist 
organizations.
  Years ago Hezbollah was a limited, regional threat. Today, it is an 
international movement.
  Right now, Hezbollah is most actively engaged in Syria.
  With Iran's backing, Hezbollah supports the murderous Assad regime, 
which slaughters innocent Syrians every day.
  Without Hezbollah, Assad would have been defeated. Instead, Iran has 
stayed in the fight and more than 140,000 lives have been lost.
  Unfortunately, Iran and Hezbollah are not confined to attacks in the 
Middle East.
  In Afghanistan, the Iranians provide arms and training to Taliban 
fighters who use them to kill U.S. and Afghan forces.
  In Africa, Iran and Hezbollah have planned attacks in Nigeria, Sudan, 
and Kenya, and are expanding their terrorist and criminal networks in 
Senegal and Gambia.
  In Europe, Iran has attempted to assassinate foreign diplomats and 
tourists.
  A 2012 attack in Bulgaria killed six and injured 32 people. Other 
attacks were also planned in Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
  The same has been true in Asia. Iran and Hezbollah have planned 
numerous plots in India and Thailand.
  Perhaps most troubling is Iran's expansion into Latin America and the 
fact that our State Department denies it is happening to this very day.
  Despite clear evidence that Hezbollah is colluding with drug 
organizations to launder money and gather support, the Obama 
Administration continues to downplay this threat.
  Hezbollah uses Venezuela banks to launder hundreds of millions of 
dollars a year and smuggle narcotics to U.S. and European markets.
  It has also conducted terrorist training on Margarita Island for 
recruits from Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
  No one is safe, including Americans abroad and even here at home.
  In October 2011, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. was targeted in 
Washington, DC. There is strong evidence linking Hezbollah and the 
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to this attack.
  Anyone who hoped that the new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani would 
have stopped all this is wrong.
  Like his predecessor, he continues to support terrorism.
  Just last month Iran's parliament claimed that Hezbollah has ``tens 
of thousands'' of missiles prepared for a battle with Israel.
  Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, described it best 
when he said the Iran-Hezbollah relationship was ``a partnership 
agreement, with the Iranians as the senior partner.''
  International efforts to combat this expanding threat have improved, 
but still fall short of what needs to be done.
  I commend the European Union for blacklisting Hezbollah's military 
wing, but they must understand that there are not two separate 
Hezbollahs.
  There is one Hezbollah. The military wing and political wing are not 
separate. The entire organization needs to be sanctioned in order for 
those tools to really bite.
  2014 marks the 30 year anniversary of Iran's placement on the State 
Department's ``State Sponsors of Terrorism'' list.
  This problem will only get worse if the Administration allows Iran to 
develop nuclear weapons.
  Clearly, it is time for the United States and its allies to develop a 
coherent and comprehensive plan to stop Iranian-backed terrorism.
  We can start by renewing the sanctions on Iran rather than easing 
them. Iran only can be forced to do the right thing internationally 
because their moral code regarding right and wrong is amiss.
  And that's just the way it is.

[[Page E301]]



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