and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed# responsibility, according to Iranian state## media.

It's just the latest in a series of attacks# by Iranian and Iranian-backed militia across the## region since Hamas attacked Israel on October# 7 and Israel launched its response in Gaza.

Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Israel# Defense Forces have traded barrages,## while the Houthis in Yemen have# lobbed missiles toward Israel## and continue attacking ships in# the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

For more on Iran's objectives and influence,## we turn now to Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at# the Carnegie E So, Karim, before we get into the# details of some of these groups## and their relationship with# Iran, just broadly speaking,## what's Iran's objective?

What's the strategy# here in the use of these pro KARIM SADJADPOUR, Carnegie Endowment for# International Peace: It's an important## question I would ar there have been very few governments# in the world that have had a more## clear and consistent grand strategy# over the last four or five An d there's essentially three pillars to# that strategy.

Number one, Iran is intent## on evicting the United States from the Middle# East.

Number two, they're intent on replacing## Israel with Palestine.

And, number three, they# want to help defeat the U.S.-led world order.

So, I would argue Iran and all of its regional# proxies share these -- all these three objectives.

AMNA NAWAZ: Use of those proxy militias# also gives them some degree of deniability.

The fact that they claim responsibility# for this attack on the U.S. Consulate in## Northern Iraq as quickly as they# did, what does that say to you?

KARIM SADJADPOUR: Iran has a pretty -- is# oftentimes a pretty good judge of U.S And so the fact that they are publicly claiming# credit for attacks on U.S. outposts in the region## probably means that they don't fear conflict with# the United States, because they know this is a## Biden administration which is intent on trying# to de-escalate and avert conflicts in the region.

And, in some ways, that emboldens Iran.

AMNA NAWAZ: So we know that Iran also backs# Ye men.

How is their relationship with each of# those groups different?

And how is it the same?

KARIM SADJADPOUR: Well, Hezbollah is the crown## jewel of the Iranian Revolution And it's essentially part of Iran's# Revolutionary Guards.

It's really a## wholly owned subsidiary of the Iranian# state.

The Houthis are being trained## by Hezbollah.

And over the last decade, their# relationship with Iran has grown much closer.

And so, at the end of the day, Iran doesn't# micromanage these proxies.

It doesn't call## up Hezbollah or the Houthis or the Shia# militias in Iraq and tell them what to## do on a day-to-day basis.

But it certainly# macromanages those groups.

And those groups,## as I mentioned, they share these# strategic objectives of trying to## evict America from the Middle East# and replace Israel with Palestine.

AMNA NAWAZ: But the fact that we have seen this# ramping up of the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea,## the ramping up of Hezbollah attacks# across the border with Israel,## is that being coordinated through Iran in any way?# And could they call them off i KARIM SADJADPOUR: I think there's# no doubt it's being coordinated## with the Iranian government.

Hasan# Nasrallah, the l has come out and said that all of# Hezbollah's funding comes from Iran.

We know a giant chunk of Houthi funding# comes from Iran.

Hamas' military budget,## 80 percent comes from Iran.

So this is not# simply charity that Iran is offering its## proxies.

This type of aid and support, military# support, comes with major strings attached.

So, if Iran ordered its proxies to cease# all attacks on U.S. interests on Israel,## I expect that they would do so right away.

AMNA NAWAZ: Karim, tell me about the# do is under that leads them to think# this is the right strategy KARIM SADJADPOUR: Well, the Iranian# regime is deeply unpopular.

It's## essentially a socially authoritarian# police state with a failin Very few Iranians want to continue# to live under the Islamic Republic.

But the reality is, as long as this Iranian regime# remains in power, there's never going to be real,## meaningful stability in the Middle East,# because this is a regime which really thrives## with regional instability.

The countries# we have been talking about today, Yemen,## Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Gaza, these# are all essentially failing states.

And so Iran has more effectively figured# out how to fill power vacuums more than## any other actor in the region.

It thrives on# this instability, and so does its proxies.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Karim Sadjadpour,## senior fellow at the Carne Karim, thank you.

Good to speak with you.

KARIM SADJADPOUR: Thank you so much, Amna