\n<\/p>\n
Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz bluntly laid out the case for President Donald Trump\u2019s attack on Iran, describing the regime as the leading global state sponsor of terrorism.<\/p>\n
Appearing on Fox News, Cruz laid out a staggering indictment of Tehran\u2019s financial reach, noting that for 47 years, the radical Islamist leadership has been the \u201cnumber one state funder of terrorism worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cruz praised what he called the military\u2019s \u201cclear-eyed\u201d strategy, saying the strikes targeted Iranian missile capacities and anti-aircraft defenses. He characterized President Trump\u2019s decision to authorize the strikes \u2014 including the elimination of top military leadership \u2014 as the \u201cmost consequential\u201d of his presidency because, in Cruz\u2019s view, Tehran \u201cposed a significant danger to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that prior to the intervention, the Iranian regime was churning out 100 missiles a month and maintaining a clandestine nuclear weapons program.<\/p>\n
\n.@SenTedCruz<\/a>: “The reason @POTUS<\/a> made the decision to go in and take out the Ayatollah, take out the military leadership\u2026 is because they posed a significant danger to the United States.” pic.twitter.com\/GP45feoMoM<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Cruz argued that Tehran\u2019s influence stretches across nearly every major flashpoint in the region, pointing to longstanding U.S. assessments of Iranian funding for proxy groups:<\/p>\n
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- Hamas: Receives<\/a> an estimated\u00a090% to 93%\u00a0of its military budget from Tehran. Reports indicate this surged to\u00a0$350 million annually\u00a0by early 2026.<\/li>\n
- Hezbollah: Iran funnels between<\/a>\u00a0$700 million and $800 million\u00a0a year to the Lebanese group.<\/li>\n
- The Houthis: Annual aid is estimated<\/a> at up to\u00a0$300 million, providing the \u201cbang-for-buck\u201d investment that fuels Yemen\u2019s instability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cruz noted that the Iranian regime bears responsibility for the deaths of nearly 1,000 Americans, referencing U.S. military casualties linked to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.<\/p>\n
He also asserted that, before last year\u2019s U.S. strike, Iran operated \u201ca major underground nuclear weapons facility,\u201d which he said Trump took out.<\/p>\n
While the IRGC\u2019s official budget is estimated at roughly $8.2 billion,<\/a> experts say it likely controls billions more through illicit enterprises and \u201coff-the-books\u201d oil sales.<\/p>\n
This massive expenditure comes at a time when the Iranian economy \u2014 one-fiftieth the size of the U.S. economy \u2014 is cratering under inflation and unemployment.<\/p>\n
As the United States maintains its posture of \u201crobust military deterrence,\u201d Cruz argued the goal remains simple: forcing the regime to choose between domestic stability and its global terror franchise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n