Axis of Resistance

Extended-protected article
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Axis of Resistance
Leaders
Group(s)Primary
List
Headquarters
MEK[10]
Political positionBig tent
StatusActive unofficial military alliance
Allies
Allies

Non-state allies

Opponents
Opponents

Non-state opponents

Former opponents
Battles and wars
Syrian Civil War, Israel–Hamas war, 2024 Iran–Israel conflict

The Axis of Resistance (

Syrian government, the Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah, the Yemeni political and military organization Ansar Allah (the Houthi movement), and a variety of Palestinian militant groups.[31][32][33]

Despite the alliance members' differing ideologies,

Shia–Sunni divide, certain Sunni Islamists who are perceived as posing a threat to the Iranian ideology of Shia Islamism.[35] The growing political and military influence of the Iranian government throughout the region has played a role in fuelling a number of wars throughout the Arab world, particularly in the context of the Iran–Israel proxy conflict and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, and has thus been cited as one of the main factors driving Arab–Israeli normalization; the equally informal Arab–Israeli alliance
emerged between Israel and a number of Arab countries around 2019 in order to address their concerns regarding security threats from Iran or Iranian proxies.

Ali Khamenei, who has served as the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, has repeatedly defined the Islamic Republic government as a "resistance government" (i.e., against Western and Israeli influence).[36] Though the Axis of Resistance operates primarily in the Middle East, the Iranian government has attempted to export the alliance's ideology at a global level; Iran and Iran-aligned proxies have attacked Jewish, Israeli, and American organizations abroad. During a meeting with Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel in December 2023, Khamenei formally called on the people of Cuba to form a similar coalition against the "bullying" of the United States and other Western countries.[37]

History

In the wake of the 1979

Ayatollah Khomeini's notions of the "solidarity of the oppressed."[39] Montazeri and Chamran, along with Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur, Iran's ambassador to Syria from 1982, created the Department for Islamic Liberation Movements, as part of the People's Revolutionary Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose aim was to bring together the activities of the outlawed Iraqi Islamic Dawa Party and Badr Organization with those of the Lebanese Amal and Hezbollah movements.[40] The Department for Islamic Liberation Movements is thought to have been the starting point of Iranian attempts of forging what was later to become known as the Axis of Resistance.[41]

The term "Axis of Resistance" was first used by the Libyan daily newspaper Al-Zahf Al-Akhdar in response to American president

Shi'is needs to be linked, united, and consolidated, this unity should be realized on the axis of resistance and struggle against the occupiers."[43]

In 2006, the Palestinian minister of the interior, Said Saim, used the term during an interview at Al-Alam television to refer to common political goals among Arabs in opposition to those of Israel or the United States. Noting the large number of Palestinian refugees in Syria, Saim stated, "Syria is also an Islamic Arab country and is also targeted by the Americans and the Zionists. Hence, we see in Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas an axis of resistance in front of these pressures."[44]

The term "axis of resistance" was used as early as August 2010.[45] After two years, Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor for foreign affairs to Iran's supreme leader, used the term and said:

The chain of resistance against Israel by Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, the new Iraqi government, and Hamas passes through the Syrian highway... Syria is the golden ring of the chain of resistance against Israel.[46]

The phrase was used again in August 2012 during a meeting between Syrian president

Syrian Civil War.[47]
Velayati said:

What is happening in Syria is not an internal issue, but a conflict between the axis of resistance and its enemies in the region and the world. Iran will not tolerate, in any form, the breaking of the axis of resistance, of which Syria is an intrinsic part.[46]

The Syrian state-run news agency, SANA, has stated that the two governments discussed their "strategic cooperation relationship" and "attempts by some Western countries and their allies to strike at the axis of resistance by targeting Syria and supporting terrorism there."[47] The alliance has been described as an "Axis of Terror" by the prime minister and ambassadors of Israel.[48][49][50]

Bashar al-Assad, Ali Khamenei and Hassan Nasrallah

At first, the alliance consisted of the Syrian government and Lebanese Hezbollah. Years later, Iran, already closely aligned with Syria and Hezbollah, would form stronger relations between the three, creating the axis. Iraqi and Yemeni militants coordinating with Iran came in as the newest members of this alliance.

Sunni Islamists such as Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas began publicly opposing Iran and Hezbollah and have aligned closely with Turkey and Qatar, countries which are engaged in geo-political competition with Iran.[54][55]

Analysis

Members, aims, ideological currents, and allies

The axis has been described as altering "the strategic balance in the Middle East" by assisting Syrian leader

war-crimes against Syrian civilians.[56] According to Marisa Sullivan, the programme and aims of the Axis have three main pillars; shared regional objective in preserving the Assad regime, maintaining access to supplies of weapons and money from Iran, and stopping a Sunni-majority government from ever coming to power in Syria.[57]
The current ruling
Syrian Ba'ath party elites are primarily made up of Alawites, who are an offshoot sect of Shiism, which is also the majority sect of Iran.[58] This common background has made them strategic allies on various issues, including defense.[59]

Despite the Axis of Resistance being composed of primarily Shia Islamist factions, the

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has also at times been considered part of the axis due to its opposition to Israel and the United States. However, as of March 2012, the group has since pulled its headquarters out of Damascus and thrown its support behind the anti-Assad Syrian opposition.[62][63] However, in October 2022, Hamas restored ties with Syria after reconciliation with the support of mediation by Iran.[64][65]

Russia is considered by the

2023 Israel–Hamas war, Russia condemned both the Hamas attack and Israel's response,[70] but Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Israel's goals in Gaza were similar to Russia's goals in Ukraine.[71][72]

According to Jubin Goodarzi, an assistant professor and researcher at Webster University, the Iranian–Syrian alliance that was formed in 1979 is of great importance to the emergence and continuity of the axis of resistance. Both countries are in key locations of the Middle East, and they have been affecting Middle Eastern politics during the past three decades. Also, the alliance is considered to be an enduring one, lasting 34 years "in spite of the many challenges that it has faced and periodic strains in the relationship".[46]

Purposes for the Axis

Main article: Iran–Israel proxy conflict

The axis claims to be against Israel in order to shore up popular support across the Islamic world, according to Tallha Abdulrazaq, writing in the

better source needed] Three days before that airstrike against the Hizbollah convoy, Hizbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah said: "...we consider that any strike against Syria is a strike against the whole of the resistance axis, not just against Syria."[74]

War against the Islamic State

Main article:
International military intervention against ISIL

Hezbollah rejects the idea of Lebanon helping in the

U.S.-led intervention in Iraq, against the Islamic State arguing that it may lead to the U.S. domination in the region or "substituting terrorism with flagrant US occupation".[75]

Strikes on Israel

Main articles: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present), Red Sea crisis, and 2024 Iran–Israel conflict

As a result of the

Israel-Hamas war's outbreak on 7 Octber 2023, Hezbollah of Lebanon, the Yemeni Houthis, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and other factions in Syria have launched drone and missile attacks on Israel as a result of the Israel–Hamas war. Hezbollah launched its operations against Israel on on 8 October 2023 whereas Yemen began launching its operations
on 19 October 2023 and the Islamic Resistance of Iraq began launching its operations on 2 November 2023.

In April 2024, Iran launched a missile and drone attack against Israel with its supporting factions in response to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Relations with the Taliban

Main articles: Afghanistan–Iran relations and International relations with the Taliban

Principlist daily publication in Iran, Kayhan, also referred to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as a member of the Axis of Resistance.[77][78] However, Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force said in September 2021 that past sectarian conflicts have shown that the Taliban government was "no friend of Iran".[76] Since then, border clashes had occurred at their shared border in 2021 and 2023, claiming several lives on both sides.[79][80]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Hurras al-Din (HaD) is the successor organization of Al-Nusra Front and the current branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria.

References

  1. ^ "The Huseynyun: Iran's new IRGC-backed movement in Azerbaijan". Middle East Monitor. October 9, 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Iran Update, October 18, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. 2023-10-18. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  3. ^ "The Nujaba Movement – the Movement of the Noble Ones: One of the dominant pro-Iranian militias in Iraq". The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. May 14, 2023.
  4. ^ Dana Taib Menmy; Oliver Mizzi (8 November 2023). "Who is the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the mysterious group attacking US and Israeli targets over Gaza?". The New Arab.
  5. ^ "سياسة - همام حمودي لوكالة ايرانية: المجلس الأعلى عاد إلى الإمام الخميني - سومر نيوز". Archived from the original on 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
  6. ^ "ظهرت الاحجام السياسية. الان بدأت معركة الأغلبية المطلقة. تشكيل الحكومة أم المعارك || قاسم متيرك". Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  7. ^ Hussein Abou Saleh (2 November 2023). "Iran's 'axis of resistance': how Hamas and Tehran are attempting to galvanise their allies against Israel". The Conversation. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (19 October 2023). "IDF says it killed head of military wing of Gaza's Popular Resistance Committees". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Hamas quashes armed Shiite movement Sabireen in Gaza". Al-Monitor. 21 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Beware Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' | People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)". Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  11. ^ Jay Solomon (2017-11-27). "High-Level Contacts Between North Korea and Iran Hint at Deeper Military Cooperation". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  12. ^ "Iranian press review: Venezuela part of 'Axis of Resistance', says Maduro". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  13. ^ "Defending Latin America's Resistance Axis | Un enfoque diferente - Nicaragua - a different focus".
  14. ^ Vivian Nereim (13 September 2023). "U.S. Deepens Security Pledge to Bahrain, an Adversary of Iran". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  15. ^ Michael Scollon (19 October 2023). "Iran's 'Axis Of Resistance': A Network Designed To Create Chaos, Fight Tehran's Enemies". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  16. ^ Fatima Al-Kassab (26 October 2023). "What is the 'axis of resistance' of Iran-backed groups in the Middle East?". NPR. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  17. doi:10.18449/2021RP06
    .
  18. ^ Cafarella, Jennifer (2014). "Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria: An Islamic Emirate for Al-Qaeda" (PDF). Middle East Security Report 25. Washington, DC: Institute for the Study of War: 8–46. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2022.
  19. ^ Alkhshali, Hamdi; Starr, Barbara (28 February 2017). "Deputy al Qaeda leader killed In Syria". CNN. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022.
  20. ^ "IRAN'S SHADOW WAR ON ISIS". 18 November 2019.
  21. ^ Nadimi, Farzim (10 September 2014). "Iran Is Expanding Its Military Role in Iraq in a Bunch of Ways". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  22. ^ "Beware Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' | People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)". Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  23. ^ "Egypt sends Assad secret arms aid, including missiles, with Russian funding". debka.com.
  24. ^ "Egypt voices support for Russia's moves in Syria". Reuters. 2015-10-04. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  25. ^ "Victory for Assad looks increasingly likely as world loses interest in Syria". The Guardian. 31 August 2017. Returning from a summit in the Saudi capital last week, opposition leaders say they were told directly by the foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, that Riyadh was disengaging.
  26. ^ Samia Nakhoul, Aziz El Yaakoubi (24 May 2023). "Saudi embrace of Assad sends strong signal to US". Reuters. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  27. ^ "UAE reopens Syria embassy in boost for Assad". Reuters. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  28. ^ "جبهه مقاومت". Khamenei.ir (in Persian).
  29. ^ "Syria: Iran vows it will not allow Assad to fall". The Telegraph. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  30. ^ Al-Kassab, Fatima (26 October 2023). "What is the 'axis of resistance' of Iran-backed groups in the Middle East?". NPR. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  31. ^ "Iran backs Assad as Syrian forces choke off Aleppo". Reuters. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  32. ^ "Iran: Syria part of 'axis of resistance'". CNN. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  33. ^ Drums Of War: Israel And The "AXIS OF RESISTANCE" (PDF), International Crisis Group, 2 August 2010, archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04
  34. ^ "IntelBrief: Differences Affect Iranian 'Axis of Resistance' Response to Mideast Crisis". The Soufan Center. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023. The Hamas criticism might also reflect the underlying sectarian tensions within the alliance: Hamas is one of the only Sunni Muslim factions in the group (Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or PIJ, being the other). The others, including the Alawite family that dominates Syria, are Shias of varying schools of thought.
  35. ^ Sources:
    • Sullivan, Marisa (April 2014), Hezbollah in Syria (PDF), Institute for the Study of War, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2014
    • Barnes-Dacey, Julien; Bechev, Dimitar; Borisov, Timofey; Frolovskiy, Dmitriy; Gaub, Florence; Ghanem-Yazbeck, Dalia; Katz, Mark N.; Kuznetsov, Vasily; Lavrov, Anton; Nakhle, Carole; Trenin, Dmitri (2018). "Russia and the 'resistance axis'". European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS): 65–70. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023.
  36. ^ "جمهوری اسلامی دولت مقاومت است". Khamenei.ir (in Persian).
  37. ^ "Global coalition should be formed against US bullying". Mehr News Agency. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  38. ISBN 978-0-8447-7255-4
    .
  39. ^ John L. Esposito, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality? Oxford University Press,(1992) pp. 146-151
  40. ^ Independent, 23 October 1991
  41. ^ Roger Faligot and Remi Kauffer, Les Maitres Espions, (Paris: Robert Laffont, 1994) pp. 412–13
  42. ^ "Collapse of US-Libyan Talks Highlighted by Revived Anti-US Rhetoric from Tripoli". Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily. February 12, 2002.
  43. ^ "BBC Monitoring quotes from Iranian press 18 May 04". BBC News. May 18, 2004.
  44. ^ "Interview with Said Saim, Palestinian Minister of the Interior, discussing the security chaos in the Palestinian territories, the Palestinian national dialogue and relations with other Arab countries". Federal News Service. May 29, 2006.
  45. ^ "Calm on Israel-Lebanon front belied by talk of war". Reuters. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  46. ^ a b c Goodarzi, Jubin (August 2013). "Iran and Syria at the Crossroads: The Fall of the Tehran-Damascus Axis?" (PDF). Viewpoints. Wilson Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-22. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
  47. ^ a b "Iran: We're in 'axis of resistance' with Syria". CBS News. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  48. ^ 50 tons of weapons seized by Israel, Telegraph, 16 March 2011
  49. ^ Israel pursues strikes on Lebanon, BBC, 14 July 2006
  50. ^ GILLERMAN FINGERS 'AXIS OF TERROR', JPost, 22 Feb 2006
  51. ^ Sullivan, Marisa (April 2014), Hezbollah in Syria (PDF), Institute for the Study of War
  52. ^ Schenker, David (7 October 2015). "Putin and the Shiite 'Axis of Resistance'". The Hill. Retrieved 25 May 2016. Assad, backed by Hezbollah and Iran, began his campaign to eradicate Sunni regime opponents...this new axis — which targets Syrian Sunnis instead of Israel — is deeply polarizing.
  53. ^ Sullivan, Marisa (April 2014), Hezbollah in Syria (PDF), Institute for the Study of War, "Opposition is greatest with Lebanon's Sunni community, which view Hezbollah as choosing sides in sectarian conflict, killing fellow Muslims, and losing sight of its resistance to Israel."
  54. ISBN 978-1-138-88584-4
    .
  55. ^ Hussein, Ibish (23 March 2019). "As the Syrian war ends, the axis of resistance has been exposed for the illusion it always was". The National. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  56. ^ "Challenging the Axis of Resistance: Syria, Iran and the Strategic Balance in the Middle East". USIP. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  57. ^ Sullivan, Marisa (April 2014), Hezbollah in Syria (PDF), Institute for the Study of War, "Hezbollah's support for Assad seeks to achieve three broad objectives. First, Hezbollah seeks to preserve the Axis of Resistance by shoring up the military capabilities of the Assad regime. Second, Hezbollah also seeks to retain access to Iranian and Syrian material support by securing the lines of communication that run from Damascus to Lebanon from any rebel interference....Third, the group also seeks to prevent the emergence of a Sunni-dominated regime in Syria"
  58. ^ The Alawi capture of power in Syria, Middle Eastern Studies, 1989
  59. ^ "Syrian DM Stresses Tehran-Damascus Joint Confrontation against Attacks". Fars News Agency. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2012.[permanent dead link]
  60. ^ "PFLP Boasts About its Ties to Iran | FDD's Long War Journal". 12 November 2021.
  61. ^ "الرئيس الإيراني يستقبل وفدا من الجبهة الشعبية".
  62. ^ "Syria crisis causes Iran-led 'axis of resistance' to fray". CS Monitor. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  63. ^ "Hamas rattles the Resistance Axis". Al Alarabiya News. 3 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  64. ^ "Hamas leaders meet Assad in Damascus to 'turn the page'". Reuters. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  65. ^ Ibrahim, Arwa. "Iranian support vital for Hamas after ties restored with Syria". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  66. ^ Sources:
    • Al Qedra, Ahmed (May 2022). "Russian foreign policy towards the GCC". Journal of Crises and Political Research. 6 (1): 41–66 – via dergipark.org. the most obvious thing is the unprecedented development in Russia's relations with the Arab Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, in the context of Russia's pursuit of a strategic partnership in the energy field, with the GCC countries
    • "Russia in the Middle East After Ukraine". Center for Strategic & International Studies. 2023-01-24. Arab states have pursued their distinct economic, security, and political interests with Russia for years,.. For the Egyptians, it's grain supplies or the fact that Rosatom is going ahead with building the El Dabaa nuclear power plant. For the Saudis or the Emiratis, it's more alignment in global oil markets or expanded business ties.
    • Chulov, Martin (5 October 2022). "Putin and the prince: fears in west as Russia and Saudi Arabia deepen ties". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022.
  67. ^ Al Qedra, Ahmed (May 2022). "Russian foreign policy towards the GCC". Journal of Crises and Political Research. 6 (1): 41–66 – via dergipark.org.
  68. ^ "Ukraine lays out demands for Israel ahead of key visit to Kyiv". Axios. 5 February 2023.
  69. ^ Rakov, Daniel (28 February 2023). "The Netanyahu Government's Approach to Russia and Ukraine". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
  70. ^ "Russia calls for international monitoring mission in Gaza". Reuters. 10 December 2023.
  71. ^ "Lavrov appears to liken Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza to Russia's invasion of Ukraine". Times of Israel. 28 December 2023.
  72. ^ "Objectives of Israel's and Russia's Wars 'nearly Identical' – Did Lavrov Shift Position on Gaza?". Palestine Chronicle. 28 December 2023.
  73. ^ Abdulrazaq, Tallha (28 January 2015). "The Axis of Resistance: Time to put up, or shut up". Middle East Monitor.
  74. ^ Levitt, Matthew (2015). "Hezbollah: pulled between resistance to Israel and defense of Syria". CTC Sentinel: 5.
  75. ^ Qanso, Wafiq (18 September 2014). "Hezbollah, Iran, Syria, and Russia vs. the US-led anti-ISIS alliance: Cooperation or confrontation?". Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  76. ^ a b Synovitz, Ron (27 December 2021). "Regional Powers Seek To Fill Vacuum Left By West's Retreat From Afghanistan". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  77. ^ "Iran and the Taliban after the US fiasco in Afghanistan". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  78. ^ kayhan.ir (August 25, 2021). "اقتصاد مقاومت(یادداشت روز)". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  79. ^ "At least three killed in clash on Iran-Afghan border". Reuters. 27 May 2023.
  80. ^ "Clashes over Iran-Afghanistan's 'border misunderstanding' ended". Reuters. 1 December 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Axis_of_Resistance&oldid=1219297277"