Central Nova News

Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, recently made an appearance on the Breaking Battlegrounds podcast to delve into the United States' ongoing tensions with Iran. Abrams, who previously served as a foreign policy advisor to several presidents, specifically highlighted the threat posed by Iran to the lives of Americans.

"They're causing chaos," Abrams said during the July 16 podcast. "They're causing chaos in the whole region. They're basically an enemy to everybody there, Yemen, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan. I mean, they're supporting terrorist groups all over the Middle East, and they're targeting Americans and they've been targeting Americans since 1979, since the revolution there, and they've been killing Americans for decades. And frankly, we're letting them get away with it.

"They've been killing Americans. We're not killing Iranians. You know, we just sort of issue strong protests when these things happen. And the lesson that teaches them is, okay, we can get away with it. So at this point, they were really a dangerous country for all of our friends in the region. And, you know, they continue to use the same two slogans, 'Death to America,' 'Death to Israel' that they've been using since 1979."

Abrams was referring to the 1979 hostage crisis, during which Iran held approximately 70 Americans captive after they were taken from the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, following the Iranian Revolution; according to the National Archives. The crisis occurred during President Jimmy Carter's tenure and lasted for 444 days, marking the onset of significant and enduring tensions between Iran and the U.S. Carter ensured the release of the hostages.

"Look at the Iraq war," Abrams said during the podcast. "I mean, they were feeding all of those terrorists in Iraq. The Pentagon will tell you that Iran killed something north of 600 Americans and wounded and crippled thousands of Americans. But go back further. The Marine barracks in Beirut. Who did that? Iran and Hezbollah did that. Hundreds of Marines dead. And we never really respond.

"And we have what's known as escalation dominance. That is, people say, well, you know, if we strike back and then they'll escalate and then we're in real war. No, we're not. It's a third rate power. It's a country of 70 million people. They're not insane. They do these things because they think, rightly so far, they can get away with them."

The U.S. continues to grapple with ongoing tensions with Iran, a recent United States Institute of Peace report said. Over the past several decades, it is estimated that hundreds of Americans have lost their lives in firefights, suicide bombings, assassinations and other devastating acts perpetrated by Iran. Terrorism, cyberattacks, acts of retaliation for the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, aggressive actions at sea and other related issues persist as significant threats, according to the United States Institute of Peace.

In addition to the United States, Israel shares concerns regarding Iran, the institute report said. Both countries have engaged in joint military operations, conducting a total of six in 2023. Those exercises were carried out in January (two), February (two), March and July, each spanning several days and involving drills and training exercises.