Ten Nations, One Message to Tehran: Keep Your Terror Networks Out of Our Hemisphere
The United States and nine partners in the Americas condemned Iranian and proxy "lethal plotting, illicit fundraising" and political interference in the region. In our view, it is a strong start for American leadership, as long as words become action and Brazil is pressed to join.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 9, 2026 | 5-min read When Americans think about Iran's terror networks, they picture the Middle East. The State Department wants them to look closer to home. On Monday, the United States and nine partners in the Americas signed a joint statement condemning "terrorist actions and other malign influence operations in our hemisphere by Iran and its terrorist proxies" [1]. The message was blunt: "The Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies must halt these actions now" [1]. In our view, this is exactly the kind of neighborhood watch the Western Hemisphere needs, and the Trump administration deserves credit for building it. The next test is whether words become action. Key Takeaways The signatories are the United States, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago [1]. They condemned Iranian and proxy-sponsored "lethal plotting, illicit fundraising, political interference and foreign influence activities" in the region [1]. The statement followed a U.S.-Paraguay forum last month on disrupting Iranian terrorist activity in the hemisphere [1]. Here is why it