(TLP:CLEAR) Institute for Economics and Peace – Global Terrorism Report and Special Iran Terror Threat Supplement
Created: Thursday, April 2, 2026 - 15:27
Categories: Physical Security, Research
Summary: The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) recently released the 13th edition “Global Terrorism Index 2026.” This annual report seeks to measure key trends and the impact of terrorism around the world over the last two decades. IEP also released a special supplement to this year’s report on the terror threat posed by Iran and its proxies in regard to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Analyst Note: On a positive note, this year’s report documented a substantial fall in terrorism worldwide. Deaths from terrorism fell 28% to 5,582, while the number of attacks declined by around 22% to 2,944. Only 19 countries deteriorated, the lowest number of deteriorations in the report’s history. However, there was a sizable increase in terrorism in Western countries, which accounted for seven of the 19 deteriorations.
The report states, “In the West, the underlying conditions that drove the 280% increase in terrorism deaths in 2025 are unlikely to abate. Political polarization, rising antisemitic violence, and the rapid online radicalization of young people continue to create an ongoing environment where terrorism remains a serious threat.” In addition, in 2025, the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the world’s most lethal terrorist group, with the group carrying out attacks in 15 different countries compared to 22 in the prior year.
Moreover, the supplemental report on the Iran threat warns that the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, launched on February 28, significantly heightens the risk of future terrorism. According to the report, the terror threat to Western states from Iran-linked threat actors is significant and multifaceted, operating through four simultaneous vectors: direct Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) agents, criminal proxies, Hezbollah sleeper networks, and radicalized lone offenders. For example, the report notes the Austin, Texas shooting on March 1; a targeted attack on an Iranian Canadian dissident’s gym in Ontario; and a car attack on a synagogue in Michigan underscore how these threats are already materializing.
Original Sources:
Mitigation Recommendations:
- US Violent Extremist Mobilization Indicators 2021 Edition
- CISA – Personal Security Considerations Action Guide
- FBI Guidance on Keeping Potential Attackers off the ‘Pathway to Violence’
Related WaterISAC PIRs: 1, 2, & 4