US State Department Prepares Budget to Counter Tehran’s Regional Activities

Assistant Secretary for the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker (state.gov)
Assistant Secretary for the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker (state.gov)
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US State Department Prepares Budget to Counter Tehran’s Regional Activities

Assistant Secretary for the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker (state.gov)
Assistant Secretary for the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker (state.gov)

David Schenker, assistant secretary for the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, told the Congress that 2020’s fiscal year budget will focus primarily on countering Iran's influence.

He said Iran is a “provocative and malicious player” that threatens US allies and intervenes in the affairs of Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and other regional countries.

In a session held by the House Foreign Affairs’ Middle East and South Africa Subcommittee, Schenker said the US administration’s strategy on Iran primarily focuses on “neutralizing Iran's destabilizing influence and constraining its malign activities, particularly in support for terrorism and militants.”

“Strong diplomatic, economic and security measures must be bolstered by US assistance programs that support key partners and seek to deny access and influence to Iran and its proxies,” he stressed.

“Resources requested in this budget will counter Iran’s malign influence in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen by working through our local partners.”

For instance, Schenker said the State Department’s budget for 2020 allocates $50 million in military assistance to Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

He added that this US support seeks to counter the influence of both Hezbollah and its patron, Iran. A strong and independent LAF capable of defending Lebanon is critical to undermining Hezbollah's false claims of legitimacy.

“This request also increases support to the Iranian people and the free flow of information.”

“The White House’s fiscal year 2020 foreign assistance budget request of $6.6 billion for the region will support national security priorities to counter Iran’s malign influence, ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, support persecuted religious and ethnic minorities throughout the region and maintain support to key allies and critical partnerships across the region,” he explained.



Arrests Made in Türkiye over Calls for Shopping Boycott to Support Istanbul's Imprisoned Mayor

Fine art university students shout slogans as they march past an Expresso Lab coffee bar during a peaceful protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fine art university students shout slogans as they march past an Expresso Lab coffee bar during a peaceful protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
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Arrests Made in Türkiye over Calls for Shopping Boycott to Support Istanbul's Imprisoned Mayor

Fine art university students shout slogans as they march past an Expresso Lab coffee bar during a peaceful protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fine art university students shout slogans as they march past an Expresso Lab coffee bar during a peaceful protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Turkish police detained 11 people Thursday for supporting a shopping boycott as part of protests against the imprisonment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, state-run media reported.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into “hatred and discrimination” and “inciting hatred and hostility” among the public, the Anadolu news agency said.

Among the detained was actor Cem Yigit Uzumoglu, who played Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the Netflix docuseries “Rise of Empires: Ottoman,” the Actors’ Union said.

The suspects were held over social media posts calling on people to not to spend money on Wednesday and for businesses to shut their doors in solidarity during the daylong boycott, The AP news reported.

Large-scale anti-government protests began last month after the arrest of Istanbul's opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges that critics say are politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference.

Istanbul prosecutors on Tuesday launched a criminal investigation into earlier boycott calls by Imamoglu’s party targeting companies it alleges support the government. In particular, the opposition identified media firms that did not air images of protests in which hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets to call for Imamoglu’s release and an end to democratic backsliding.

The leader of Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party, or CHP, issued a warning after authorities blocked social media accounts supporting Wednesday's boycott.

“We know that you have closed hundreds of pages to date,” Ozgur Ozel wrote on X. “If you become a tool for anti-democratic practices today, if you implement access ban demands, think carefully about what this nation will do to you!”

While in prison, Imamoglu has been confirmed as the CHP's presidential candidate. The next election is currently scheduled for 2028 but is likely to take place earlier.

According to the independent ANKA News Agency, some 2,000 people have been detained since Imamoglu was arrested on March 19, with 316 jailed pending trial. Most face charges relating to participating in protests.

Lawyers for imprisoned protesters on Wednesday said many had suffered mistreatment. The government has not responded to the allegations but on Thursday the police issued a statement denying claims that women had been sexually assaulted in custody as “vile slanders.”