Much attention has been focused on aggressive military actions attributed to Iran in the Persian Gulf region in recent weeks, as well as those of its proxies in other areas of the Middle East . An indictment and a criminal complaint unsealed Sept. 19 in New York, however, serve as a reminder of the asymmetric capabilities Iran and its proxies can tap into to respond to its adversaries, including terrorist tactics. Increasing U.S. sanctions in the wake of its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has choked off most of Iran's oil exports, the country's chief revenue stream. In a bid to force Washington to reconsider its course, Iran has ramped up its use of force, threatening global oil production by attacking key chokepoints in the Persian Gulf and on the Arabian Peninsula .