New Delhi: Iran’s Influence in the Middle East Through Proxy Groups
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has actively sought to expand its influence across the Middle East by supporting proxy groups. The Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), plays a crucial role in providing weapons and training to these groups, furthering Iran’s regional agenda. Referred to as the “Axis of Resistance,” these proxies have developed into major militias and political parties, challenging governments in their respective countries.
Initially, Iran’s influence was limited to Shi’a groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Gulf Emirates. However, they failed to make significant progress among Sunni populations or attract Islamic militant groups with their fundamentalist ideas.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran’s extensive network of militia proxies in the Middle East since 1984, under six different presidents, in an attempt to curb their regional influence. The Trump administration intensified these economic measures between 2017 and 2021. Despite these efforts, sanctions have not been entirely successful. In 2020, the US State Department estimated that Iran provided $700 million annually to Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based group. Iran has historically also provided $100 million per year to Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these proxy groups and where they operate:
Yemen: The Houthi movement, inspired by Hezbollah, gained strength after 2014 and is led by Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi. They recently entered the Israel-Hamas conflict by firing drones and missiles at Israel.
Lebanon: Hezbollah, established in the early 1980s, was Iran’s first proxy in the region. Funded and supported by the Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah shares Tehran’s Shiite Islamist ideals. It became the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor in 2020, with at least 130,000 rockets and missiles.
Syria: Iran has maintained a strong alliance with the Assad family, a Shia offshoot, to secure its power in Syria. Iran has been accused of providing around 80,000 fighters to support President Bashar al-Assad since the country’s descent into chaos in 2011.
Iraq: Following the US invasion in 2003, Iran expanded its influence in Iraq by establishing loyal militias and gaining political clout. Groups like Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al Haq targeted US forces and their allies with sophisticated attacks.
Gaza: Iran has long been engaged in a shadow war against Israel in the Palestinian territories. Hamas, the group behind recent attacks on Israel, is believed to receive funding from Iran. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also receives financial support from Iran.
Saudi Arabia: The Revolutionary Guards founded Hezbollah al Hejaz in Saudi Arabia in 1987. This Shiite militant group is one of Iran’s main supporters in the region.
Bahrain: The Al Ashtar Brigades, a militia funded and trained by Iran, operates in Bahrain and was responsible for a bomb attack in 2014 that killed two police officers.
Despite efforts to curb Iran’s influence through sanctions, the country continues to support and strengthen its proxy groups across the Middle East. These groups pose significant challenges to regional stability and the interests of other countries in the region.
