Iranian regime finances Terrorism under religious issues.

In March, the United States State Department announced that it is sanctioning the Iranian regime’s Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters and related authorities and organizations. The Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters is affiliated with the Qods Force, the extraterritorial branch of the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The US State Department explained that the sanctioned entities have been involved with, or perpetrated, the smuggling of weapons to Yemen and Iraq, the intimidation of politicians in Iraq, the plundering of public donations and funds intended for religious efforts to fund the IRGC and its Qods Force, promoting propaganda efforts for the Qods Force in Iraq, and selling Iranian oil to the Syrian regime. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said:

“Iran employs a web of front companies to fund terrorist groups across the region, siphoning resources away from the Iranian people and prioritizing terrorist proxies over the basic needs of its people.”

The main opposition to the Iranian regime, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), published a report last year detailing the activities carried out by the Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters and revealed that it is used as a front organization for the IRGC’s Qods Force.

The Qods Force uses the Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters to carry out, plot and plan terrorist attacks for the Iranian regime in Syria and Iraq.

The Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters is based in Iraq. The sanctioning by the United States is long overdue as it loots the property of both Iranians and Iraqis. However, no matter how long overdue this action is, it is very much welcomed, especially now during the Coronavirus outbreak that is claiming the lives of thousands of Iranians. The outbreak has spiraled out of control because the regime has neglected to take precautionary measures and has done very little to control the crisis.

The people of Iran have been the main victims of the Iranian regime’s decades of mismanagement and corruption. The country’s national wealth is being plundered by the regime which has spent billions of dollars on malign and terrorist activities.

IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani who was in charge of the Qods Force had involvement with the Holy Shrines’ Reconstruction Headquarters. Soleimani was killed during an airstrike by the United States at the beginning of January. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office also has a major role in the running of the headquarters.

Through the headquarters, arms trafficking and terrorist activities are planned for the Qods Force. The organization also used the pretext of reconstructing holy and religious shrines to circumvent sanctions.

It has expanded over the years and now has an office in Syria where it also uses the context of rebuilding holy shrines.

More sanctions would be very welcome considering that the Iranian regime refuses to help the people of Iran out. It spends billions of dollars on terrorist activities, yet it will not provide the people of Iran, in particular doctors, nurses and medical workers, with the necessary equipment needed to control the Coronavirus outbreak.