Involvement of foreign militias in the suppression of protests in Iran

Involvement of foreign militias in the suppression of protests in Iran occurred particularly during periods of major civil unrest. These militias, often backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), include groups from Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Their involvement is part of Tehran’s broader strategy to maintain internal stability while utilizing its transnational network of Shia militias.

Iran has cultivated and supported a network of foreign militias under the banner of the "Axis of Resistance," primarily through the IRGC's Quds Force. These groups, which have fought in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, have also been deployed domestically when the Iranian regime faces widespread protests.^[1]

• Lebanese Hezbollah: Hezbollah has played an important role in Iran's regional strategy and has reportedly assisted in monitoring and suppressing protests inside Iran. The group's operatives have been deployed alongside Iranian security forces to provide tactical support and intelligence gathering.^[2]
• Iraqi Militias (Hashd al-Shaabi/Popular Mobilization Forces): Various factions of the Hashd al-Shaabi, particularly those closely tied to the IRGC, have been accused of participating in the crackdown on Iranian demonstrators. These militias have experience in urban warfare and have been used to bolster Iranian security forces during large-scale protests.^[3]
• Fatemiyoun Brigade (Afghan Fighters): The Fatemiyoun Brigade, an Afghan Shia militia trained and funded by Iran, has been involved in domestic repression. Many of its members, recruited from Afghan refugees in Iran, were initially deployed to Syria but have since been used to counter dissent in Iran.^[1]

2009 Iranian presidential election protests: On 16 June 2009, Der Spiegel reported that the Iranian government recruited 5,000 Lebanese Hezbollah fighters to clash with protesters.^[4]

The protests of 2018-2019: In early March 2019, during, Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of the Islamic Courts in Tehran, hinted that Iran use foreign proxy forces to manage internal unrest.^[5]

Mahsa Amini Protests: In the wake of Mahsa Amini's death in 2022, reports surfaced that Iran had brought in Iraqi allies, specifically members of Hashd al-Shaabi and Kata'ib Hezbollah, to assist in cracking down on protests. Eyewitnesses reported the arrival of these forces in Iran, suggesting their involvement in suppressing the demonstrations.^[6]