Indy Standard

Congressman Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) has introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at countering the influence of Iran and Hezbollah in Latin America. The Barring Adversarial Networks and Notorious Extremist Destabilizers (BANNED) in Latin America Act was presented alongside Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).

The bill addresses concerns about the spread of Iranian and Hezbollah propaganda and operations in the region. Mohsen Rabbani, who arrived in Latin America four decades ago, is noted for his role in spreading the Islamic revolution's agenda and involvement in the bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires.

Shreve's legislation directs the Secretary of State to develop strategies to combat these influences. "As a member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I’ve learned of the growing threat the Iranian regime poses in our own hemisphere," said Congressman Shreve.

Congressman Gottheimer emphasized the importance of this bipartisan effort: “Just as we’ve seen Iran spread its terror campaign in the Middle East, we’re now seeing Iran and Hezbollah expand their proxy networks across Latin America."

Tyler Stapleton from The Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action supports this initiative, stating that it is crucial to combat Iran and Hezbollah’s influence operations effectively.