Iran – America & the Evolution of the Islamic resistance

2019/05/29 | News, Opinion, political

Strategic Council Online: Recent events in the Middle East attract part of global attention. "New Structure of Power" and "New Geopolitics in the Region" are the latest realities of the regional developments of recent years. Raouf Sheibani - Former ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Syria and Lebanon

During my February 2019 visit to Iraq, I participated in a panel discussion, convened at the Soleimanieh American University, titled: “The New Geopolitics in the Middle East”.

John Hopkins University also discussed the question of “The New Structure of Power in the Middle East” recently.

Certainly, one of the main and influential actors in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) theatre is the Islamic Resistance. This entity and its constituting players are among the main issues contributing to the existing tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Now the question is: What is the Islamic Resistance, its background, status, and strong points.

Relaying on my experience in MENA diplomacy, I will try to find the right answers to the above-raised questions.

In my view, the three main trends contributing to the formation of the Islamic Resistance are:

  • The power vacuum created by the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union;
  • The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the counterproductive policy of the Arab States wanting to ignore Iran’s regional role, pushing the country to create and engage with non-state actors, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, the Al-Houthi in Yemen and the Hashd Al-Shabi in Iraq,… ;
  • The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and her policy vis -a vis American and Israeli policies in the Middle East.

The focus of this paper is to explain that the core of the Islamic Resistance which was formed in the 1980s, has taken profound steps, is being empowered day by day and now has the capacity and the strength to impact regional developments.

In general, the main turning points of the Islamic Resistance can be articulated as:

  • Formation phase, during which the resistance defined its priorities and principles within its national borders.
  • Self-empowering and Stabilization by:
  • Accumulation of power and absorbing other resistance elements.
  • Overcoming challenges posed by competitors and internal opposition.
  • Affluence; at this stage, the resistance expanded entity is formed, the movement has played a crucial role in the battlefields and at the same time has created organic relations with its different elements leading to a distribution of tasks and responsibilities among themselves.
  • Strategic Shift; which is the current stage of the Resistance, in which, it shoulders two responsibilities:
  • To resist any imposed changes to the region.
  • Utilizing its capacities to shape the scene in its favor.

I am of the view that three major achievements of the resistance during the 2006 war in Lebanon, the Syrian Crisis since 2011 and the recent war in Gaza Strip 2019, has provided an opportunity for the Resistance to make a leap in its approach.

These achievements can be summarized as follows:

  • Official, public and field support of the components of the Resistance from each other.
  • Enhanced self-confidence of the members of the Resistance.
  • Expanding the battlefield geographically (operation theatre), in favor of the Resistance.
  • Matching parts of the interest of the Russian Federation and the People Republic of China with those of the Resistance.
  • Enhancing the experience of the Resistance in the field, especially fighting against terrorism.
  • Active and influential presence of different nationalities in the Islamic Resistance.

At this stage, according to the behavior of the Resistance, its movements and positions, her present status may be summarized as follows;

  • Cohesion and optimal mutual support,
  • High battlefield capability in terms of abundance, availability, and quality of weapons.
  • Having important, strategic and influential geographical points.
  • Suitable political position within their countries and national units.

In the end, the question may arise regarding elements that form the backbone of the Resistance. Some factors may be viewed as the engine of the movement:

  • Presence of vigilant leadership and charismatic elements within the Resistance.
  • The existence of the Palestinian issue as an inspiring cause.
  • Model of the Lebanese Hezbollah as a responsible resistance movement regionally.
  • A clear objective of fighting the Israeli occupation and US subversive policies in the region.
  • True Islam as a reliable model of resistance theology, especially after the failure of Wahhabi Islam.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST CONTENT

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading

Últimas publicaciones

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading