The United States’ (US) State Department, in its annual terrorism report, stated that Iran continued to permit an Al Qaeda facilitation network to operate in Iran, sending money and fighters to conflict zones in Afghanistan and Syria, and it still allowed Al Qaeda members to reside in the country, reports 1tvnews.af. The report said Tehran “has allowed [Al Qaeda] facilitators to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran since at least 2009, enabling [the group] to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria".