Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, Iran has been continuously engaged in combating the activities of terrorist groups.
Throughout this period, terrorist groups with varying ideologies and agendas—backed by support from certain regional and extra-regional countries—have persistently sought to instill a climate of fear and insecurity in Iranian society through various acts of terror, including the assassination of officials and ordinary citizens, as well as sabotage of infrastructure. In the 1980s, following the revolution, the disintegration of Iran became a priority for its enemies, leading to unrest in the Turkmen Sahra and Kurdistan regions.
After separatist movements were defeated, support shifted toward anti-Iranian armed groups, particularly the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK). Operating from France and maintaining extensive ties with the United States, the UK, and certain Arab states, the MEK played a fifth-column role during the Imposed War (Iran–Iraq War). Through the assassination of high-ranking officials such as Ayatollah Beheshti, President Rajaei, and Prime Minister Bahonar, as well as coordinated bombings, the MEK carried out some of the most severe terrorist attacks of that decade.
1990s: During this decade, the threat of international terrorism became more prominent. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, extremist groups such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda—previously supported by the United States and certain Arab countries—emerged as threats along Iran's eastern borders. The assassination of Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif represented the most significant attempt to draw Iran into a regional war, an effort thwarted by the Islamic Republic's vigilance.
2000s: After the U.S. occupation of Iraq, radical groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Al-Nusra Front expanded their operations. In Iraq, they sought to curb Iran's influence by assassinating figures close to Tehran. However, under the direction of the Quds Force and the prominent role of General Qassem Soleimani, Iran's influence was strengthened, and the enemies' plans were defeated.
2010s: This decade began with the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists—operations designed by the Israeli regime and certain Western intelligence services. ISIS and aligned groups, with overt and covert support from the United States and Israel, became active in the region and attempted to target Iran. The 2017 ISIS attacks in Tehran (against the Parliament building and the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini) were a clear example of such threats.
2020s: In this decade, terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting psychological warfare and cyberspace to rehabilitate their image. Unlike the 2010s, when the spread of graphic violence accelerated ISIS's downfall, these groups are now seeking to rebrand themselves through superficial makeovers and by leveraging overt and covert ties with countries like the United States. Their hidden objective is to weaken the Axis of Resistance and present an alternative model in the realm of soft warfare.
In 2025, several military commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran were targeted in U.S.-backed terrorist attacks—acts recognized from a security perspective as falling within the pattern of "targeted killings." The assassination of military commanders demonstrated that the terrorist threat against Iran is not limited to extremist groups alone; in some instances, it manifests through complex, coordinated operations whose effects go beyond the tactical level, as the enemy seeks strategic repercussions in the regional security environment.
Furthermore, the attack on a school in the city of Minab in March 2025 showed that terrorist acts have even targeted educational institutions, revealing more starkly the human dimensions of this threat—an attack that can be analyzed within the framework of a terrorist strategy.
Since 1979, Iran has been one of the primary victims of terrorism—facing threats ranging from organized domestic assassinations to transnational attacks. Nevertheless, the combination of security capabilities, popular engagement, and intelligent regional policies has enabled the country to successfully confront these threats. Iran's experience demonstrates that countering terrorism—beyond the hard-power domain—requires attention to soft warfare, the intellectual and social roots of terrorism, and the strengthening of national cohesion.
By Seyed Mohsen Mousavizadeh Jazayeri