Axis of Resistance

Informal Iranian-led military coalition in West Asia

Axis of Resistance

Current and former components of the Axis of Resistance

Leaders|

* Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran)
* Naim Qassem (Secretary-General of Hezbollah)
* Falih Al-Fayyadh (Chairman of Popular Mobilization Committee)
* Abdul-Malik al-Houthi (Leader of the Houthis)
* Hamas temporary committee (Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau)

Formerly:

* Bashar al-Assad (President of Syria; 2000–2024)

Group(s)| Primary List
Active regions| Currently:
Iran
Iraq
Lebanon
Houthi Yemen
western Syria
Palestinian territories
Formerly:
Ba'athist Syria
Ideology|

* Anti-imperialism (claimed)
* Khomeinism
* Shia Islamism
* Anti-Zionism

Political position| Big tent
Status| Active, unofficial military alliance
Allies|

* Cuba[1]
* North Korea[2]
* Venezuela[3]

Non-state allies

* Syrian Democratic Forces[4][5][6] (sometimes)

Opponents|

Current

* Bahrain[7]
* Israel
* Palestinian Authority[8]
* Jordan
* Syria[9]
* United States
* Yemen

Non-state opponents

* Islamic State[10][11]
* People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK)[12]
* Syrian Democratic Forces[13][14][15] (sometimes)

Former opponents

* Ba'athist Iraq (until 2003)
* Egypt (2011–2013)[16][17]
* Qatar (until 2017)[18]
* Saudi Arabia[19] (until 2023)[20]
* United Arab Emirates (until 2018)[21]
* Syrian Opposition (2011–2024)
* Free Syrian Army
* Islamic Front
* Ahrar al-Sham
* Jaysh al-Islam
* Al-Nusra Front[22]
* Army of Conquest
* Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
* Syrian National Army
* Syrian Revolutionary Command Council

Battles and wars|

* Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
* Assadist–Saddamist conflict (until 1990)
* Iran–Iraq War
* 2011 Bahraini uprising
* Insurgency in Bahrain
* Syrian civil war
* Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian civil war
* Spillover in Lebanon
* 2024 Syrian opposition offensives
* Western Syria clashes
* Israeli invasion of Syria
* Yemeni Civil War
* Iran–Israel proxy conflict
* Iraq War
* War in Iraq (2013–2017)
* Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)
* Gaza war
* Israel–Hezbollah conflict
* Red Sea crisis
* 2024 Iran–Israel conflict
* Iran–Israel War
* June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran
* June 2025 Iranian strikes on Israel
* West Bank Insurgency

The Axis of Resistance[a] is an informal coalition of Iranian-supported militant and political organizations across the Middle East.[24] Formed by Iran, it unites actors committed to countering the influence of the United States and Israel in the region.[25][24]

It most notably includes the Lebanese Hezbollah, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Yemeni Houthis.[b] It sometimes[26][27] includes Hamas,[c] and a variety of other Palestinian militant groups.[28][29][30] The various actions of members of this axis reflect their domestic interests while serving the broader goal of complicating Israel's attacks and imposing a cost on the United States to support Israel.[31] The United States designates most of these groups as terrorist organizations.[25] Despite this, between 2014 and 2017, militant groups within the axis under the command of Qasem Soleimani co-ordinated with U.S. military forces against the Islamic State (IS) organization during the war in Iraq (2013–2017).[32]

The coalition has also conducted attacks on US forces in Iraq.[33][34] Through its Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran has provided extensive military and logistical support, with an estimated $700 million spent annually on these groups before sanctions affected its resources in 2019.[24][35]

The conflicts engulfing the Middle East since 2023, beginning with the October 7 attacks, have weakened the Axis of Resistance and the strategy behind it, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.[36] The network has suffered blows in the Gaza war,[37][38] Israel–Hezbollah conflict and the Iran–Israel war.[37][36][39][25] Additionally, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's fall in 2024 further disrupted the network.[36][38][40] Until then, Ba'athist Syria was the only state member of the Axis beside Iran,[25] hosting fighters trained and recruited by Iran.[33] The rest of the Axis remains intact as of December 2024.[38]

## History

[edit]

### Etymology

[edit]

The term "Axis of Resistance" was first used by the Libyan daily newspaper Al-Zahf Al-Akhdar in response to American president George W. Bush's claim that Iran, Iraq, and North Korea formed an axis of evil. Its 2002 article, "Axis of evil or axis of resistance", said "the only common denominator among Iran, Iraq, and North Korea is their resistance to US hegemony".[41] The Iranian newspaper Jomhuri-ye Eslami subsequently adopted the language in reference to the Shia insurgency in Iraq, writing in 2004: "If the line of Iraq's Shi'is needs to be linked, united, and consolidated, this unity should be realized on the axis of resistance and struggle against the occupiers."[42]

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."[43]

The term "axis of resistance" was used as early as August 2010.[44] 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.[45]

The phrase was used again in August 2012 during a meeting between Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, regarding the Syrian civil war.[46] 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.[45]

### Foundation

[edit]

In the wake of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, some of the most radical founders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps such as Mohammad Montazeri (who had been trained by the Palestinian Fatah in Southern Lebanon and maintained close relations with Gaddafi's Libya) and Mostafa Chamran (who had visited Cuba and was influenced by revolutionary internationalism) strove to create what is often called an "Islamic Internationale",[47] drawing upon Ali Shariati's and Ayatollah Khomeini's notions of the "solidarity of the oppressed".[48] 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.[49] 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.[50]

### Evolution

[edit]

This section needs expansion with: Iran–Iraq War and War of Brothers. You can help by adding to itadding to it or making an edit request. (December 2024)

|

Current leaders: Ali Khamenei, Naim Qassem, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and members of the Hamas temporary committee (Khaled Mashal, Khalil al-Hayya and Muhammad Ismail Darwish)

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.[51] After the beginning of Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war, a slew of posters showing images of Nasrallah, Assad, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have appeared with an Arabic caption meaning "men who bow to no one but God". The posters suggest another emerging regional Axis of Resistance, according to The Hill. This coalition has been described as "deeply polarising" for its sectarian targeting of Sunni Syrians.[52] Hezbollah's actions have also arisen denunciation in Lebanon, most notably from Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, who demanded an end to unilateral armed maneuvers by Hezbollah. Grievance is also widespread amongst Lebanon's Sunni minority, who charge Hezbollah with engaging in sectarian violence against other Muslims, and of forfeiting its anti-Zionist stance.[51][51]: 25 With Hezbollah's intensifying participation in the Syrian civil war following the years after 2013, the coalition has become explicitly Khomeinist and anti-Sunni; with the Assad regime becoming beholden and subservient to Iran and its proxies for continued existence. Alienated by sectarian policies, 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.[53][54]

### Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)

[edit]

The conflicts engulfing the Middle East in 2023, beginning with the October 7 attacks, have weakened the Axis of Resistance and the strategy behind it, according to an analysis by Associated Press.[36] The network has suffered major blows, in Gaza war[37][38] and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[37][36][39][25] Additionally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's fall, marked by rebel forces capturing Damascus and ending over five decades of Assad family rule, further disrupted the network.[36][38][40] The Houthis and militias in Iraq remain intact as of December 2024.[38] In April 2025 it was reported that Hezbollah has withdrawn the majority of its military infrastructure from southern Lebanon, transferring control to the Lebanese army.[55] The report claims that 190 out of Hezbollah's 265 military positions were ceded to the army.[55] This move aligns with the November 2024 U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, which mandates Hezbollah's repositioning north of the Litani River and the deployment of approximately 5,000 Lebanese troops to the south.[56] The withdrawal aims to reduce tensions along the Israel–Lebanon border and facilitate the return of displaced civilians. While Hezbollah has removed heavy weaponry, some fighters from southern villages remain with light arms. The situation remains delicate,[as of?] with ongoing monitoring by international observers to ensure compliance with the ceasefire terms.[55][56]

In July 2025, reports emerged indicating that Iran has intensified its support for proxy groups, supplying advanced weaponry to both the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite mounting regional and international pressure. According to U.S.-aligned forces in Yemen, a large shipment, estimated at 750 tons, of Iranian-supplied arms was intercepted in late June near Houthi-controlled territory. The cache reportedly included anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, drone components, warheads, and instruction manuals in Farsi, reinforcing long-standing assessments of Tehran’s direct involvement through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated networks. Simultaneously, Western intelligence suggests that Iran has resumed missile deliveries to Hezbollah via overland routes through Iraq and Syria, aiming to replenish the group's arsenal following its 2024 confrontation with Israel. Despite domestic economic and military constraints following the Iran–Israel war, Iran has prioritized rearming its regional allies.[57][58]

## Members

[edit]

Forum for Resistance meeting in Lebanon, 2009

Hezbollah, a Shi'ite Islamist group founded to fight Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982,[59] is the network's most prominent member.[25] Other significant participants include Hamas,[25][24][60] Palestinian Islamic Jihad,[24] the Yemenite Houthi movement,[24][60] and several Shi'ite militias in Iraq and Syria.[25][24][60] Until the fall of the Assad regime in 2024,[36] Syria has been the only state member beside Iran,[25] hosting fighters trained and recruited by Iran.[33]

### Iran

[edit]

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).[61] Qasem Soleimani played an important role in Iran's battle with ISIS in Iraq. He has been described as the focal point for bringing together Kurdish and Shia forces for the war against ISIS.[62] Soleimani's achievements led to the creation of an axis of Shia influence throughout the Middle East centered on Iran.[34] During a meeting with Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel in December 2023, Khamenei said that the political and economic potentials of Iran and Cuba should be used to form a coalition against the "bullying" of United States and its Western allies, in order to adopt a "common and effective position" on important global issues such as the Palestinian issue.[63]

### Hezbollah

[edit]

Hezbollah was founded by Lebanese clerics to fight Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982.[59][60] The group is an influential political actor in Lebanon, shares the Shiite Islam ideology of Iran. It has increased its attacks on Israeli targets on the Lebanon-Israel border almost daily since the start of Gaza war on October 7, 2023, in order to stop Israel from attacking Gaza, sparking the heaviest exchange of fire between the adversaries since full-scale war in 2006.[60] Iran was Hezbollah's chief supplier of arms. In a direct reference to the axis of resistance, Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said in December 2024 that since the fall of the Assad regime, "Hezbollah has lost the military supply route through Syria at this stage, but this loss is a detail in the resistance's work."[64] The group's Unit 3800 was responssible for training and providing strategic aid to militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.[65][66][67]

### Iraqi groups

[edit]

Main article: Islamic Resistance in Iraq

Armed militias emerged in Iraq after the US invasion of the country in 2003. These groups became exponentially stronger when they organized as a collective front to counter the terrorist group ISIS.[68]

Iranian officials claimed on 30 October 2023 that attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and other parts of the region were the consequence of "wrong American policies", which included Washington's backing of Israel during the Gaza war.[69]

Accounts on social media have claimed that Ya Ali Popular Formations is affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, or the IRGC.[70]

### Yemeni Houthis

[edit]

Main article: Iranian support for the Houthis

Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis in Yemen, declared on 10 October 2023 that the organisation would retaliate by using missiles and drones in addition to other military measures if the United States got involved in the Gaza conflict.[71]

On 19 October 2023, Yemen begun their missile and drone campaign against Israel in which the United States Navy destroyer USS Carney shot down three land-attack cruise missiles and several drones heading toward Israel. This was the first action by the Houthis in Yemen on Israel. It was later reported that the ship shot down four cruise missiles and 15 drones.[72] Another missile was reportedly intercepted by Saudi Arabia.[73] More were intercepted by Israel's Arrow anti-ballistic missiles; others fell short of their targets or were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and the French Navy.

The Houthis then launched attacks on ships they claim are linked to Israel in a self-proclaimed bid to end the war, prompting a military response from a number of countries led by the United States.[74]

### Palestinian groups

[edit]

Despite the Axis of Resistance being composed of primarily Shia Islamist factions, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a secular Marxist–Leninist formation, is generally considered part of the Axis of Resistance, and receives support from Iran.[75][76] The Sunni Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has also at times been considered part of the axis due to its opposition to Israel and the United States. As of March 2012, the group has since pulled its headquarters out of Damascus and thrown its support behind the anti-Assad Syrian opposition.[77][78] In October 2022, Hamas restored ties with Syria after reconciliation with the support of mediation by Iran.[79][80]

### Syrian groups

[edit]

The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria is a militant organization established by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) in response to the Fall of the Assad regime and the 2024 Israeli invasion of Syria. It is part of the Axis of Resistance.[81]

The Military Council for the Liberation of Syria, is an armed opposition coalition formed on 6 March 2025 by former Syrian Arab Armed Forces (SAAF) officer Ghiath Suleiman Dallah and other former officers and loyalists of the fallen Assad regime.[citation needed]

### Former members

[edit]

#### Ba'athist Syria (1979–2024)

[edit]

The Supreme leader of Iran Khamenei in a meeting with Syrian Islamic scholars, six years before the Fall of the Assad regime (3 March 2018)

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.[45] 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". The axis has been described as altering "the strategic balance in the Middle East" by assisting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to remain in power and backing his war-crimes against Syrian civilians.[82] 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.[51]: 5 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.[83] This common background has made them strategic allies on various issues, including defense.[84] 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".[46] The alliance has been described as an "Axis of Terror" by the prime minister and ambassadors of Israel.[85][86][87]

The fall of the Assad regime in 2024 was described by several Western media as a crippling blow to the Axis of Resistance: the collapse of the Ba'athist government in Syria undermining Iran's ability to supply Hezbollah.[88][89][39][90][40][38][91] This was denied by Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who reiterated that the Axis will continue.[92]

## List of members

[edit]

Country  | Group

|

Islamic Republic of Iran |

* Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
* Ground Forces
* Aerospace Forces
* Navy
* Quds Force
* Basij

Ba'athist Syria (1979–2024)[93][94][95] |  Ba'ath Party

* * *

Syrian Arab Armed Forces

* * *

National Defence Forces

* * *

Baqir Brigade

* * *

Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas[96]

* * *

Quwat al-Ridha

Iraq |

* Certain Militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces[97][98]
* Badr Organization
* Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
* Kata'ib Hezbollah
* Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
* Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba
* Kata'ib Jund al-Imam
* Kata'ib al-Imam Ali
* Ya Ali Popular Formations (alleged)[70]

* * *

* Islamic Resistance in Iraq:
* Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq[96][99]
* Kata'ib Hezbollah[96]
* Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada[96]
* Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba [96][100][101]
* Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya[102]
* Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds[103]
* Al-Thawriyyun[104]

* * *

* Within the Iraqi Parliament:
* State of Law Coalition[105]
* Fatah Alliance[106]

Lebanon |  Hezbollah

* * *

Amal Movement

* * *

Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon

Houthi-controlled territory of Yemen |

* Houthis[107][108]
* Supreme Political Council[109][110]

Palestine |

* Palestinian Joint Operations Room:[30][24]
* Hamas[111]
* Al-Qassam Brigades
* Palestinian Islamic Jihad
* Al-Quds Brigades
* PFLP
* Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades
* DFLP
* National Resistance Brigades
* PRC[112]
* Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades
* al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
* Palestinian Mujahideen Movement
* Mujahideen Brigades
* Palestinian Freedom Movement
* Al-Ansar Brigades
* PFLP–GC
* Jihad Jibril Brigades

Bahrain | Al-Mukhtar Brigades

* * *

Al-Ashtar Brigades

* * *

Waad Allah Brigades

Syria |

* Syrian Social Nationalist Party
* Eagles of the Whirlwind

* * *

Islamic Resistance Front in Syria

* * *

Syrian Popular Resistance

* * *

Military Council for the Liberation of Syria

* * *

Coastal Shield Brigade

Afghanistan |  Hezbollah Afghanistan

* * *

Liwa Fatemiyoun[113]

Azerbaijan | Husayniyun/Hüseynçilər[114]
Pakistan |  Liwa Zainebiyoun

* * *

Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan[115][116]

* * *

Tehreek-e-Jafaria (Pakistan)[117][118]

Jordan |  Islamic Resistance in Jordan

## Opponents

[edit]

### Israel and the United States

[edit]

Main articles: Destruction of Israel in Iranian policy, Iran–Israel proxy conflict, Anti-American sentiment in Iran, and Sarkha

See also: 2024 Iran–Israel conflict, Gaza war, Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present), Red Sea crisis, and Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)

The 'Axis of Resistance' views Israel as a common enemy whose destruction is a shared strategic objective.[119] The axis claims to be against Israel in order to shore up popular support across the Islamic world. According to analyst Afshon Ostovar, the aim of this network is to present Israel with a long-term existential challenge by "slowly strangling" it through a series of "increasingly destructive, unwinnable wars."[120] According to The New York Times, in the event of a major war with Israel, all member groups were expected to take part in a coordinated, region-wide military campaign with the shared goal of destroying the Jewish state.[119] Iran devised this strategy and has heavily invested in strengthening the combat capabilities of each group while fostering coordination among them.[119] Despite the alliance members' differing ideologies and domestic interests,[31] their activities serve the broader goal of complicating Israel's operations and making United States support for Israel costly.[121][51]: 5 The Guardian pointed out that it "is a network of autonomous militant Islamist groups through which Iran can project power, determine the course of events and deter attack by Israel or the US".[122]

As a result of the outbreak of the Gaza war on 7 October 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. Hezbollah launched its operations against Israel 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 airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus.

The United States has given Israel extensive military aid and vetoed multiple UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions, concerning Gaza war.[123] Groups of the Axis of Resistance have attacked American military bases in the Middle East. Additionally, the Yemeni Houthi movement have engaged in attacks in the Red Sea on commercial vessels allegedly linked to Israel, incurring a US-led military response.[74] The United States designates most of the members of the axis of resistance as terrorist organizations.[25]

According to the Middle East Monitor, the axis suffered a severe blow after the 2015 Israeli Mazraat Amal air strike.[124][better source needed] Three days before the airstrike against the Hezbollah convoy, Hezbollah 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."[125]

### Islamic State

[edit]

Main articles: Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition and War against the Islamic State

This axis became the main fighters against ISIS after the group took over almost a third of Iraq in 2014.[34] According to the Los Angeles Times Amirli was the first city to successfully resist an ISIS offensive and was secured thanks to an unusual cooperation between Iraqi and Kurdish troops, Iranian-backed Shia militias and US warplanes.[126] In 2012, Hezbollah deployed troops to support Syrian government forces against the FSA rebels, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. In 2013, Iran began deploying troops to support the Syrian government against the rebels and other factions. In both instances, the Iraqi government provided support, even having volunteers joining the battlefields in Syria.[127] Also, the Popular Mobilization Forces, which was established in 2014, became the main force in the fight against ISIS in Iraq.[68] In 2014, Hezbollah rejected the idea of Lebanon helping in the US-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".[128] During the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the Axis of Resistance became more united, forming the 4+1 coalition which was a joint military cooperation coalition with Iran, Iraq, Syria, Russia and Hezbollah of Lebanon.[129]

The coalition supported one another in many battles in the Syrian civil war, such as in Hama Governorate, Palmyra, Aleppo and Idlib Governorate. The Russian Air Force has used Iranian airbases for refueling namely the Hamadan Airbase.[130]

The IRGC Quds Force leader claimed: "the resistance of the Iraqi and Syrian governments and the perseverance of the armies and young men of these two countries ... played an important role in overturning this dangerous event … [I can announce] the termination of the rule of this vicious cursed entity, following the liberation operation of Abu Kamal, as the last fort of ISIS, bringing down the flag of this US-Zionist made terrorist group and raising the flag of Syria".[131]

## Relationships with other countries

[edit]

See also: Axis of Upheaval

### Relations with Russia

[edit]

Main article: Iran–Russia relations

Russia's efforts to expand its role in the Middle East are entwined with its relations with the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance. It is not a meaningful strategic alliance, but Russia and Iran share a common interest in limiting Western influence in the region.

In Syria, Russia maintains military bases in Latakia and Tartus.[121] During the Syrian civil war, Iran and Russia sought to preserve the Ba'athist government of Bashar al-Assad, which was friendly to Russia and allowed Iranian elements to operate throughout the country.[121] They sought to resist Western intervention and regime change efforts in the country, which they believe, if successful, would challenge their own influence in the region and potentially lead to regime change in Iran. Iran and Russia intervened in the civil war in support of the Assad government, with Russia's involvement allegedly prompted by a visit to Moscow by Iran's Qasem Soleimani, where he asked Moscow to directly support the regime against the Syrian opposition forces. Russia provided extensive air support to Assad's forces and to Iranian-backed forces in Syria, such as Hezbollah and pro-Iranian militias.[121] Assad's regime survived over 10 years of civil war but was ultimately overthrown in 2024. The post-Assad transitional government became more partial to Western influence and relatively hostile to Russian and pro-Iranian elements, signaling a strategic failure for the 'axis' interventions in Syria.[132]

Despite cooperation with Iran in Syria, Russia has maintained positive relations with Israel–allowing repeated Israeli airstrikes inside Syria[121]–and with Arab Gulf states while also supporting normalisation of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia.[133] During the Gaza war, Russia condemned both the October 7 attacks and Israel's response,[134] but Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Israel's goals in Gaza were similar to Russia's goals in its invasion of Ukraine.[135][136]

### Relations with China

[edit]

Main article: China–Iran relations

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2025)

|

### Relations with Afghanistan

[edit]

Further information: Afghanistan–Iran relations

Iran was accused of supporting the Taliban during the 2001–2021 war in Afghanistan.[137][138] Ali Akbar Velayati[139] and Hassan Kazemi Qomi[140] claim that the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is also part of Iran's Axis of Resistance. However, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani believes the Taliban government is "no friend of Iran".[139]

## See also

[edit]

* Arab–Israeli alliance
* Axis of Upheaval
* Destruction of Israel in Iranian policy
* Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition, another military alliance that involves Iran and Syria
* Shia Crescent
* Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war
* Iran–Israel proxy conflict
* Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
* Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Persian: محور مقاومت, romanized: Mehvar-e Moqâvemat;[23]
Arabic: محور المقاومة, romanized: Miḥwar al-Muqāwamah
2. ^ Officially the Ansarullah movement, de facto government in Northwestern Yemen since 28 July 2016 under the Supreme Political Council
3. ^ Islamic Resistance Movement, de facto government of the Gaza Strip since 2006.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Cuba condena el asesinato del líder de Hizbulá tras el bombardeo de Israel en Beirut" [Cuba condemns the killing of the leader of Hezbollah after Israel's bombing of Beirut]. Infobae (in Spanish). 28 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
2. ^ Jay Solomon (2017-11-27). "High-Level Contacts Between North Korea and Iran Hint at Deeper Military Cooperation". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Archived from the original on 2023-11-12. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
3. ^ "Iranian press review: Venezuela part of 'Axis of Resistance', says Maduro". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
4. ^ Coleman, Luke (5 March 2015). "Assad: We Armed Kurds Before International Coalition". basnews.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
5. ^ "بالتزامن مع تعامي المجتمع الدولي عن مأساتهم...أوضاع إنسانية كارثية يعيشها نحو 700 ألف مدني في منطقة عفرين التي تحاصرها القوات التركية • المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان". 14 March 2018.
6. ^ "Assad regime says it will continue to provide weaponry, money to Kurds". DailySabah. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
7. ^ Vivian Nereim (13 September 2023). "U.S. Deepens Security Pledge to Bahrain, an Adversary of Iran". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
8. ^ "Palestinian Fatah group says Iran trying to spread chaos in West Bank". Reuters. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
9. ^ Myre, Greg (4 February 2025). "Syria's new leader denounces Iran, calling its proxies a regional threat". NPR.
10. ^ "IRAN'S SHADOW WAR ON ISIS". 18 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
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* v
* t
* e

Iran–Russia relations

Diplomatic posts|

* Embassy of Iran, Moscow
* Embassy of Russia, Tehran
* Ambassadors of Russia to Iran
* Consulate General of Russia, Isfahan

Diplomacy|

* Treaty of Gulistan
* Treaty of Kurakchay
* Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1723)
* Treaty of Turkmenchay
* Anglo-Russian Convention
* Tehran Conference
* P5+1
* Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
* Marine Security Belt

Conflicts|

* Russo-Persian Wars
* 1651–1653
* 1722–1723
* 1804–1813
* 1826–1828
* Abbasabad
* Russian conquest of the Caucasus
* Persian Constitutional Revolution
* Persian Campaign
* Battle of Robat Karim
* Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
* Iranian famine of 1942–1943

Incidents|

* 1903 Isfahan anti-Baháʼí riots
* Siege of Tabriz (1908–1909)
* 1908 bombardment of the Majlis
* Russian occupation of Tabriz

Individuals|

* Abbas Mirza
* Mohammad Taqi Pessian
* Shafi Khan Qajar
* Ali Qulu Mirza Qajar
* Amir Kazim Mirza Qajar

Related|

* Russia and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict
* Axis of Resistance
* Funding of the Axis of Resistance
* Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war
* Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition
* Iran and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
* Axis of Upheaval

Category:Iran–Russia relations

* v
* t
* e

Iran–Saudi Arabia relations

Diplomatic posts|

* Ambassadors of Iran to Saudi Arabia
* Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Tehran
* Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia to Iran

Diplomacy|

* Safari Club

Conflicts|

* Iranian revolution
* 1979 Khuzestan insurgency
* Arab separatism in Khuzestan
* Qatif conflict
* 1979 Qatif Uprising
* Iran–Iraq War
* Action of June 5, 1984
* Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict
* Qatar diplomatic crisis
* 2011 Egyptian revolution
* 2011 Bahraini uprising
* Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain
* insurgency in Bahrain
* 2011 Libyan civil war
* Syrian civil war
* Hezbollah involvement
* Iranian involvement
* Saudi involvement
* Spillover in Lebanon
* Axis of Resistance
* Funding of the Axis of Resistance
* Iranian intervention in Iraq
* Yemeni crisis
* Houthi insurgency
* Operation Scorched Earth
* Operation Blow to the Head
* Yemeni revolution
* Yemeni civil war
* Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
* Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict
* Houthi takeover in Yemen
* Second Libyan civil war

Incidents|

* 1987 Mecca incident
* Khobar Towers bombing
* 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests
* 2016 Saudi Arabia mass execution
* Execution of Nimr al-Nimr
* 2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran
* 2019 Saudi Arabia mass execution
* 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
* 2015 Mina stampede
* 2017 Lebanon–Saudi Arabia dispute
* 2017–2020 Qatif unrest
* 2018 Riyadh missile strike
* International Maritime Security Construct
* United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231
* May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident
* 2019 Afif attack
* Abha International Airport attacks
* Abqaiq–Khurais attack

Iranian relations
with GCC member states|

* Bahrain
* Kuwait
* Oman
* Qatar
* United Arab Emirates

Related|

* Iran–Saudi Arabia football rivalry
* Iran and state-sponsored terrorism
* Iran–Israel proxy conflict
* Arab League–Iran relations
* Arab–Israeli alliance
* Warsaw Middle East conference
* Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition
* Opposition to military action against Iran
* Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
* Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition
* Gulf Cooperation Council
* Iran International
* Shia–Sunni relations
* Shia Islam in Saudi Arabia

Category:Iran–Saudi Arabia relations

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Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy war

Background|

* Iranian revolution
* 1979 Khuzestan insurgency
* Arab separatism in Khuzestan
* Qatif conflict
* 1979 Qatif Uprising

Conflicts|

* Assadist–Saddamist conflict (until 1990)
* Iran–Iraq War
* Action of June 5, 1984
* Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict
* Qatar diplomatic crisis
* 2011 Egyptian revolution
* 2011 Bahraini uprising
* Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain
* insurgency in Bahrain
* First Libyan civil war
* Syrian civil war
* Hezbollah involvement
* Iranian involvement
* Saudi involvement
* Spillover in Lebanon
* Axis of Resistance
* Funding of the Axis of Resistance
* War in Iraq (2013–2017)
* Iranian intervention in Iraq
* Yemeni crisis
* Houthi insurgency
* Operation Scorched Earth
* Operation Blow to the Head
* Yemeni revolution
* Yemeni civil war
* Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
* Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict
* Houthi takeover in Yemen
* Second Libyan civil war

Incidents|

* 1987 Mecca incident
* Khobar Towers bombing
* 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests
* 2016 Saudi Arabia mass execution
* Execution of Nimr al-Nimr
* 2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran
* 2019 Saudi Arabia mass execution
* 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
* 2015 Mina stampede
* 2017 Lebanon–Saudi Arabia dispute
* 2017–2020 Qatif unrest
* 2018 Riyadh missile strike
* International Maritime Security Construct
* United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231
* May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident
* 2019 Afif attack
* Abha International Airport attacks
* Abqaiq–Khurais attack

Iranian relations
with GCC member states|

* Bahrain
* Kuwait
* Oman
* Qatar
* United Arab Emirates

Related topics|

* Iran and state-sponsored terrorism
* Iran–Israel proxy conflict
* Arab League–Iran relations
* Arab–Israeli alliance
* Warsaw Middle East conference
* Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition
* Opposition to military action against Iran
* Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
* Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition
* Gulf Cooperation Council
* Iran International
* Shia–Sunni relations
* Shia Islam in Saudi Arabia

Category:Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

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Iran–Israel proxy war

Background|

* Iranian Revolution
* Iran–Iraq war
* 1999 arrest of Iranian Jews

2024 Iran–Israel conflict|

* Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus
* reactions
* Iranian seizure of the MSC Aries
* Iranian strikes on Israel
* April 2024
* October 2024
* Israeli strikes on Iran
* April 2024
* October 2024

Iran–Israel war|

* Background
* Casualties
* Ceasefire
* Economic impact
* List of attacks
* United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
* 2025 Iranian strikes on Al Udeid Air Base
* Order of battle
* Reactions

Hezbollah–Israel conflict|

* Lebanese Civil War
* Israeli–Lebanese conflict
* South Lebanon conflict
* 1982 kidnapping of Iranian diplomats
* Assassination of Abbas al-Musawi
* 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing
* AMIA bombing
* 2000–2006 Shebaa Farms conflict
* 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid
* 2005 Hezbollah cross-border raid
* 2006 Lebanon War
* Assassination of Imad Mughniyeh
* 2008 Israel–Hezbollah prisoner exchange
* 2009 Hezbollah plot in Egypt
* Francop Affair
* January 2015 Shebaa Farms incident
* Operation Northern Shield
* 2019 Beirut drone crash
* April 2023 Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel
* Projectile attacks from Lebanon
* Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
* Killing of Fuad Shukr
* 2024 Lebanon electronic device attacks
* 20 September 2024 Beirut attack
* September 2024 Israeli attacks against Lebanon
* 2024 Hezbollah headquarters strike
* Assassination of Hashem Safieddine
* 2024 Tyre airstrikes
* 2024 Beqaa Valley airstrikes
* 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon
* 2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement
* Disarmament of Hezbollah

Israeli–Palestinian conflict|

* Karine A affair
* Victoria Affair
* Klos C cargo ship seizure

Gaza–Israel conflict|

* Blockade of the Gaza Strip
* Gaza–Israel conflict (2006)
* Gaza War (2008–2009)
* Gaza War (2012)
* Gaza War (2014)
* Israel–Palestine crisis (2021)
* Gaza war (since 2023)
* Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh

Syrian civil war|

* Syrian civil war
* January 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrike
* May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes
* January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident
* Qalamoun offensive (May–June 2015)
* March 2017 Israel–Syria incident
* February 2018 Israel–Syria incident
* Operation House of Cards
* September 2018 Syria missile strikes
* August 2019 Syria missile strikes
* November 2019 Syria missile strikes
* January 2021 Syria airstrikes
* Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents
* Hezbollah involvement

Red Sea crisis|

* 20 July 2024 Israeli attack on Yemen
* 29 September 2024 Israeli attacks on Yemen
* December 2024 Israeli airstrikes in Yemen
* 26 December 2024 Israeli attack on Yemen
* 10 January 2025 Israeli attack on Yemen
* Israeli attacks on Yemen (May 2025–present)

International incidents|

* Operation Outside the Box
* 2009 Sudan airstrikes
* 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
* 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats
* 2012 Bangkok bombings
* 2012 Cyprus terrorist plot
* 2012 Burgas bus bombing
* Yarmouk munitions factory explosion
* 2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq
* 2022 Erbil missile attacks
* 2022 Istanbul terror plot
* 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria

Nuclear program of Iran|

* Israel and the nuclear program of Iran
* Assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists
* Ardeshir Hosseinpour
* Massoud Ali-Mohammadi
* Majid Shahriari
* Fereydoon Abbasi
* Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan
* Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
* AMAD Project
* Israeli infiltration of an Iranian nuclear archive
* Bid Kaneh explosion
* Stuxnet
* 2020 Iran explosions
* 2021 Natanz incident
* 2023 Iran drone attacks

Related|

* Russia and the Iran–Israel proxy war
* Russia–Hamas relations
* Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy war
* Ahmad Reza Djalali
* Axis of Resistance
* Funding of the Axis of Resistance
* Arab–Israeli alliance
* Abraham Accords
* Warsaw Middle East conference
* People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran
* Little Satan
* Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel
* Views on military action against Iran
* Iran and state-sponsored terrorism
* Iranian support for Hamas
* Iranian support for the Houthis
* Israel and state-sponsored terrorism
* Quds Day
* Prisoner X2
* Tehran
* Israeli war crimes
* Palestinian war crimes
* 2024 leak of U.S. intelligence on Israeli strike plans

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