How Iran Fights — and Aligns With — Terrorists | The New York Times

The New York Times

3 Jul 201703:39

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses Iran's complex counterterrorism strategies, which include backing Shiite militant groups like Hezbollah to extend influence and counter U.S. presence. It highlights Iran's pragmatic relationship with al-Qaeda, cooperating when it suits their mutual anti-American goals. The script also touches on Iran's intelligence efforts, outreach to Sunni communities, and the role of the Quds Force in both combating terrorism and supporting allied militant groups. Despite these measures, Iran remains a target for terrorist attacks.

Takeaways

🇺🇸 The United States has long accused Iran of exporting terror.
🇮🇷 Iran has been a target of attacks for decades and uses elaborate counterterrorism methods.
⚔️ Iran supports Shiite militant groups like Hezbollah to counter its enemies beyond its borders.
☯️ Iran has harbored al-Qaeda members, creating a marriage of convenience despite differing ideologies.
🇺🇸 Both Iran and al-Qaeda aim to undermine the United States and reduce its influence in the region.
🆚 Iran worked with the U.S. to combat al-Qaeda during the 2001 Afghanistan invasion but can't ally with ISIS due to sectarian differences.
💥 ISIS has attempted to establish an Iran affiliate and carried out thwarted attacks in Iran.
🔍 Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security conducts extensive intelligence gathering for counterterrorism.
⚖️ Critics argue that Iran's intelligence operations also target political dissidents and opposition groups.
🤝 Iran employs a three-pronged approach to foster good relations with its Sunni minority, including economic development and outreach to Sunni clerics.
🛡️ The Quds Force, led by General Qasem Soleimani, is an elite unit involved in counterterrorism and supporting groups like Hezbollah outside Iran.
🎖️ General Qasem Soleimani has become a public figure, showcasing Iran's efforts against ISIS through social media.
🎯 Despite its measures, Iran remains a target of terrorist attacks.

Q & A

What has the United States historically accused Iran of?
-The United States has historically accused Iran of exporting terror.
How has Iran been a target of terror attacks?
-Iran has been a target of terror attacks for decades, and its leaders have developed elaborate counterterrorism methods to address this issue.
What is one way Iran counters its enemies in the region?
-Iran counters its enemies in the region by backing Shiite militant groups like Hezbollah, which take the fight to hotspots beyond Iran's borders.
How has Iran's relationship with al-Qaeda been characterized?
-The relationship between Iran and al-Qaeda is described as a marriage of convenience, where they cooperate when it suits their interests, such as minimizing the United States' influence, but have conflicting interests on other matters.
Why can't Iran work with ISIS like it did with al-Qaeda?
-Iran can't work with ISIS like it did with al-Qaeda because ISIS is anti-Shiite, which is fundamentally opposed to Iran's interests and identity.
What is Iran's approach to intelligence gathering in counterterrorism?
-Iran's intelligence gathering is headed by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which arrests and interrogates individuals suspected of having ties to opposition separatists and terrorist groups.
How has Iran's intelligence gathering been criticized?
-Critics argue that Iran's intelligence gathering is a double-edged sword, as it has been used to monitor political dissidents and suppress opposition to the government.
What is Iran's approach to the Sunni population within the country?
-Iran has adopted a three-pronged approach to the Sunni population, playing nice by trying to convey that Iran is not a sectarian player, reaching out to Sunni clerics, and boosting economic opportunities and development in Sunni areas.
What is the role of the Quds Force in Iran's counterterrorism strategy?
-The Quds Force is an elite arm of the Revolutionary Guards that operates outside Iranian borders, working with groups like Kurdish forces and Shiite militias to counter groups like ISIS and cause trouble for American and Western entities involved in Middle Eastern conflicts.
Who is the leader of the Quds Force and what has been his role?
-General Qasem Soleimani is the leader of the Quds Force and has become an icon in Iran, publicizing his involvement in the fight against ISIS through selfies in Iraq and Syria.
Despite counterterrorism measures, why does Iran remain a target?
-Despite its counterterrorism measures, Iran remains a target due to its geopolitical position, its support for certain militant groups, and its adversarial relationships with other regional and global powers.

Outlines

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🔍 Iran's Counterterrorism Measures and Regional Influence

The paragraph discusses the United States' accusations against Iran for exporting terror, while Iran itself has been a target of attacks for many years. Iran employs a range of counterterrorism methods, including backing Shiite militant groups like Hezbollah to extend its influence beyond its borders. It has also had a complex relationship with al-Qaeda, where they share a common enemy in the United States but have conflicting interests on other matters. Iran's intelligence gathering, led by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, plays a crucial role in identifying and neutralizing threats, although it has been criticized for also suppressing political dissent. The paragraph also touches on Iran's efforts to appease the Sunni population within the country and its use of the Quds Force, led by General Qasem Soleimani, to counter terrorism and influence regional conflicts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Counterterrorism

Counterterrorism refers to the practices and strategies employed by a nation or group to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist activities. In the video's context, Iran is described as using a variety of counterterrorism methods to protect its interests both within and beyond its borders, such as backing Shiite militant groups and engaging in intelligence gathering.

💡Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Shiite political and militant group based in Lebanon. It is considered a key example in the script of how Iran counters its enemies by supporting such groups, which take the fight to hotspots beyond Iran's borders, like in Syria.

💡Al-Qaida

Al-Qaida is a global militant Islamist organization known for its acts of terrorism. The script discusses the complex relationship between Iran and Al-Qaida, highlighting that they have cooperated at times due to shared interests, such as undermining U.S. influence, despite not seeing eye-to-eye on many issues.

💡ISIS

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, is a Sunni extremist group that gained notoriety for its attempts to establish a caliphate. The script explains that Iran cannot work with ISIS as it did with Al-Qaida due to ISIS's anti-Shiite stance, which is fundamentally opposed to Iran's predominantly Shiite population.

💡Intelligence Gathering

Intelligence gathering is the collection of information about potential security threats. The script mentions that Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security is heavily involved in this practice, targeting individuals suspected of ties to opposition and terrorist groups, but also raising concerns about its use to suppress political dissent.

💡Sunni Extremists

Sunni extremists are individuals or groups that adhere to a radical interpretation of Sunni Islam. The script notes that Iran has managed to buy goodwill from Sunni extremists by reportedly harboring Al-Qaida members and allowing them safe passage, despite their shared animosity towards the United States.

💡Revolutionary Guards

The Revolutionary Guards is Iran's elite military force, responsible for protecting the country's Islamic system. The script describes the Quds Force, a unit within the Revolutionary Guards, as being heavily involved in counterterrorism operations outside Iran's borders, often working with Kurdish forces and Shiite militias.

💡General Qasem Soleimani

General Qasem Soleimani is the leader of the Quds Force, mentioned in the script as an iconic figure who has been publicizing his involvement in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, despite also being involved in supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

💡Sectarian

Sectarian refers to issues or conflicts arising from differences in religious sects. The script discusses Iran's efforts to not be seen as a sectarian player, with President Rouhani trying to convey this image and leaders reaching out to Sunni clerics to foster unity.

💡Economic Opportunities

Economic opportunities refer to the potential for economic growth and development. The script highlights Iran's three-pronged approach to counterterrorism, which includes boosting economic opportunities and development in Sunni areas as a way to reduce sectarian tensions.

💡Inroads

To make inroads means to achieve progress or gain influence in a particular area. The script uses this term to indicate that despite Iran's counterterrorism efforts, groups like ISIS have been able to establish a presence and even attempt attacks within the country.

Highlights

The United States has historically accused Iran of exporting terror, yet Iran has also been a target of attacks for decades.

Iran employs elaborate and opaque counterterrorism methods to maintain security both within and beyond its borders.

Iran counters regional enemies by backing Shiite militant groups such as Hezbollah, which extend the conflict beyond Iran's borders.

Iran has reportedly harbored al-Qaeda members, allowing them safe passage through the country to gain goodwill from Sunni extremists.

The working relationship between al-Qaeda and Iran is described as a marriage of convenience based on mutual interests against the United States.

Iran and al-Qaeda have a conflicting relationship on certain issues but cooperate when it suits their interests.

Iran welcomed the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and worked with the U.S. to push back al-Qaeda.

Iran cannot work with ISIS due to the group's anti-Shiite stance, which is fundamentally opposed to Iran's interests.

ISIS has attempted to establish an affiliate in Iran and has been involved in thwarted attacks.

Iran's intelligence gathering, led by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, is a key strategy in counterterrorism.

Critics argue that Iran's intelligence gathering is also used to monitor political dissidents and suppress opposition.

Iran has adopted a three-pronged approach to engage with the Sunni minority within the country, including outreach and economic development.

The Quds Force, part of the Revolutionary Guards, operates outside Iran's borders to counter groups like ISIS and to challenge American and Western interests.

General Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force, has become an iconic figure in Iran's fight against ISIS.

Despite its counterterrorism efforts, Iran remains a target for terrorist activities.