This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler After Iran, A New Age of Terror?
Apr 2, 2026
Nikita Shah, cyber and national security expert at CSIS, and Graig Klein, terrorism specialist from Leiden University. They discuss Iran’s use of proxies, organized crime and cyber tools. They explore threats to diaspora communities, attacks on oil and infrastructure, and how digital sabotage and hybrid tactics complicate Western defenses.
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Younger Individuals Are Driving Modern Radicalization
- Terrorist recruitment and radicalization are trending younger and harder to predict, reducing lead times for prevention.
- Klein notes arrests in the Netherlands involved younger individuals vulnerable via online networks and organized crime recruitment.
Avoid Wide Purges That Fuel Insurgencies
- If conflict leads to regime collapse or major changes, avoid wholesale purges of officials to prevent fueling insurgencies.
- Klein urges learning from Iraq's de-Ba'athification which pushed former officers toward groups like ISIS.
Iran's Pragmatic Ties To Al-Qaeda Complicate Threats
- Despite sectarian divides, Iran has allowed al-Qaeda to operate inside its borders as a marriage of convenience, enabling movement and logistical support.
- Klein warns this pragmatism complicates alliances and creates unpredictable interactions between Sunni jihadists and Iran.