Media: Will Iran resort to terrorism?

The United States moved to a heightened nationwide alert at the outset of “Operation Epic Fury,” amid concerns that Iran could resort to terrorism in response to the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in U.S. and Israeli strikes.

In a message broadcast on Iranian state television, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s external arm, the Qods Force, warned that adversaries would “no longer be safe anywhere in the world,” signalling the potential for attacks beyond the Middle East, The Foreign Affairs writes.

Since the threat, authorities in Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom have linked suspected Iran-backed operatives to alleged plots, according to officials familiar with the matter, though details remain limited.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was closely monitoring the risk of terrorism, including the possible activation of sleeper cells inside the United States. “We’re very much on top of it,” he said, without providing further evidence.

Iran has long used terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy, backing proxy groups and conducting covert operations to target perceived enemies, including dissidents, Israelis and Western interests. Historically, analysts say, such actions were carefully calibrated to preserve plausible deniability and avoid triggering large-scale retaliation.

However, security experts now warn that Tehran’s approach may be shifting. The loss of senior leadership and intensified pressure from Washington and its allies have raised the likelihood that Iran could expand its use of terrorism with fewer constraints.

“Iran has typically shown strategic patience,” one Western security official said. “But under current conditions, it may be more willing to authorise a wider range of attacks.”

Analysts say potential scenarios could include smaller-scale terrorist operations as well as more complex, high-casualty plots. Some assess that Iran may calculate that significant civilian losses could increase political pressure in the United States to scale back military involvement.

Iranian authorities have not confirmed any such shift and have previously denied involvement in terrorism abroad, describing such accusations as politically motivated.

Security agencies across multiple regions have stepped up coordination as the situation remains volatile.