Iran's Proxy Wars And Proxy Forces In Other Countries

Iran has been raising armed forces in other countries to fight for itself for many years. Iran is at the forefront of proxy wars in the Muslim world. The proxy organizations that Iran has built to wage proxy war in different countries under the leadership of Iran are called the Axis of Resistance.

Another thing to note is that in the naming of these organizations, the names of Hazrat Ali or his family members or various Imams of the Shia community are used more.

Names of organizations associated with proxy wars and their activities

Iran's Proxy Forces in Lebanon

Hezbollah is an Islamic movement. The Shiite organization was formed at the end of the Lebanese civil war, which began in 1975 and lasted for 15 years.

It was established under the direct command and direction of Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran's supreme religious leader. In 1985, Hezbollah expressed its allegiance to Iran's constitutionally mandated Wali al-Fakir, or Supreme Imam, in an open letter.

Through loyalty to Wali al-Fakir, Hizbollah hands over all the power of its leadership, direction, orders, and decisions on war and peace to Wali al-Fakir.  

Hezbollah is a major political and military force in Lebanon. It is believed to be more powerful than the Lebanese state army. Many of Lebanon's national and international policies are dictated by Hezbollah.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Iraq

There is a strong pro-Iranian proxy network in Iraq. Those who are extremely powerful in politics and armed groups. No matter what government comes to Iraq, they all have to cooperate with Iranian proxies. The IRGC spends about $150 million per year on its proxies in Iraq.

The name of Iran Proxes in Iraq

Kata'ib Hezbollah

Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba

Badr Organization

Saraya al-Salam

kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada

Kata'ib Al-Imam Ali

Zaynabiyoun Brigade

Fatemiyoun Division

Kata'ib Jund al-Imam

Saraya Talia al-Khurasani

Harakat al-Abdal

Saraya al-Jihad

Liwa al-Tafuf

Liwa al-Muntadher

Ansar Allah al-Tawfiya

Saraya Ansar al-Aqeeda

Kata'ib Ansar al-Hujja

Quwwat al-Shahid al-Sadr al-Awwal

Quwwat al-Shahid al-Sadr

Kata'ib al-Tayyar al-Risali

Among the above organizations, Kata'ib Hezbollah was established in 2007 under the supervision of IRGC. In 2014, a militia called Al-Hashd al-Shaabi was officially formed to fight against ISIS in Iraq.

Most of the militias in Iraq at that time joined under this Al-Hashd al-Shaabi. The reason for this joining was to fight together against ISIS.

Another one is Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq. This organization was established in 2006. The IRGC directly cooperates with the organization.

Kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada organization was established in 2013.

Badr Organization is the oldest and most powerful organization in Iraq. This proxy organization was established in 1982. Saddam expelled the people of this organization. Later, in 2003, when the US invasion of Iraq began, this group returned to Iraq. This organization has political parties in Iraq, and they get seats in the Iraqi Parliament.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Yemen

Yemen's Ansar Ullah organization. This organization is a Zaydi Shia organization.

Ansarullah was founded in the 90s. Although it is difficult to find a direct connection between Iran and its establishment, Since 2011, Iran has been directly supporting Ansar Ullah in the fight against the government of Yemen since 2004. 

When Saudi Arabia got involved in Yemen's civil war in 2015, Iran provided all kinds of support, including arms, to this organization. After the start of Israel's attack on Gaza territory, they started a war against Israel, America, and Britain in the Red Sea at the end of 2023.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Pakistan

Zaynabiyoun Brigade. This proxy force is an armed organization of Pakistani Shias. The organization was established in 2014. It was created to take the Shias of Pakistan to Syria and fight for Iran and Bashar al-Assad. It was formed by a section of Pakistani refugees, especially those Shias from Afghanistan and Pakistan who had taken refuge in Iran.

The Zaynabiyoun Brigade established the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran's influence among Pakistani Shias is considerable. A large part of the Shias there are influenced by Iran, and Pakistan is the most Shia-dominated country after Iran.

There are many Shia organizations in Pakistan, including the Shia Ulema Council, Tehreek-e-Jafaria Pakistan, Imamia Students Organization (ISO), and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen. Iran is also supporting the Hazara Shia community in Pakistan and some Shia organizations based in Balochistan.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Afghanistan

Fatemiyoun Division. In the 1980s, some Afghans who were big fans of Ayatul Khomeini formed the Fatemiyoun Division. They fought against the Russian and American invasions of Afghanistan. After that, when America left, they fought against the American puppet government there.

Later, they started working to protect their interests. At one point, they almost disappeared. In 2012, this Fatemiyoun Division was voiced again. After the start of the war in Syria, this Fatemiyoun Division re-invigorated the organization with people from Afghan Shia refugees who took refuge in Iran.

There are organizations in the Hazara Shia community-based in Afghanistan, and their main organization is the Fatemiyoun Division. During the war with the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the US attack on Afghanistan, Iran supported various Shia armed groups and built Iranian proxy forces.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Syria

Kataib Ummah Al Baqiyya, Quwat al-Ridha and Baqir Brigade are other pro-Iranian organizations active in Syria. In addition, Iran has been directly supporting the Bashar government in Syria.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Bahrain

One of the pro-Iranian organizations in Bahrain is the al-Ashtar Brigades. Another pro-Iranian proxy organization in Bahrain is The al-Mukhtar Brigades, formed in 2013.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Saudi Arabia

In 1987, an organization was created by Shia scholars in Saudi Arabia. The name of the organization is Hezbollah Al-Hejaz. In 2014, the Saudi government eradicated this pro-Iranian organization. Many Shia religious leaders were killed in the anti-Hezbollah Al-Hejaz campaign in Saudi Arabia.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a predominantly Shia country. Even though Azerbaijan is a Shia-dominated country, its relations with Iran are not good at all. The main reason is that Azerbaijan supports Israel. 

Many Shia religious leaders in Azerbaijan campaign for Iran. That is why those Shia leaders are under the government's rule.

A Shia organization called Husayniyun in Azerbaijan was founded in 2016 by some students. This organization is a pro-Iranian proxy organization. In 2017, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, officially announced this organization.

After the defeat of Iran's ally Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Azerbaijani government attacked the Husayniyun organization and almost completely disabled them. Still, the activities of this organization did not stop.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Nigeria

Iran is gradually building its proxy network outside the Middle East in various countries. Iran has chosen Nigeria as one of these activities.

A significant number of Shia communities live in Nigeria. The number of Shiites in Nigeria is increasing day by day. Iran is developing a close relationship with these Shiites. All these Shia organizations are being given various types of support, especially through the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Lebanon's Hezbollah. 

In 1980, a Shia minority organization called the Islamic Movement of Nigeria was founded by Ibrahim Zakzaky. Through this organization, Iran is trying to expand its influence in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government banned the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in 2019. The government alleged that this organization was maintaining contact with terrorist organizations linked to terrorism.

Iran's Proxy Forces in Palestine

Palestine and Masjid al-Aqsa are two important issues in Iran's state policy. Since the state policy of Iran is Aqsa Mosque and Palestine, they have always been supporting the movement organizations in Palestine.

Two organizations called Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine are Sunni organizations. Because of its state policy, Iran is helping these two Sunni Palestinian organizations.

Name of the groups that are fighting against Israel in Palestine

Hamas

Fatah

Hezbollah

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades

Popular Resistance Committees

PFLP–GC

Smaller Palestinian militant groups

Number of members of Iran's proxy forces in different countries

Number of members of Iran's proxy forces in Iraq

Kata'ib Hezbollah has 20 to 30 thousand members

Badr Organization has 10 to 30 thousand members

Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq has five to 15 thousand members.

Number of members of Iran's proxy forces in Lebanon

Hezbollah has 30 to 45 thousand members

Hamas has 30 to 40 thousand members

Islamic Jihad 1 to 5 thousand members

Number of members of Iran's proxy forces in Syria

Fatemiyoun Division 10 to 15 thousand members

Zaynabiyoun Brigade 2 to 5000 members

Quwat al-Ridha has three to five thousand members

Baqir Brigade has three to five thousand members

Number of members of Iran's proxy forces in Yemen

Houthi 10 to 30 thousand members

In addition, Iran is providing various types of cooperation to small Shia and Sunni political and non-political organizations in different Muslim countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey. In many countries, they are trying to spread their political and ideological influence.

If we look at the proxy organizations in different countries supported by Iran, we can see that they have created a ring or circle around Iran. These proxy organizations are called resistance axes. Now, the question is whether this resistance axis is for the protection of Aqsa Mosque or Palestine. Is this axis of resistance to protect Islam? Or was it formed to prevent any threat to Iran? This is the big question now.

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