The concept of ‘proxy forces’ is interchangeable with ‘proxy war’ within political culture. From a political perspective, a ‘proxy war’ denotes military conflicts wherein a nation engages in hostilities with another country or force beyond its jurisdiction, all without the direct involvement of its military forces.
These definitions of ‘proxy war’ and ‘proxy force’ are commonly employed in classical and conventional political culture. However, within the Iranian regime, the nuances and functions of ‘proxy forces’ and ‘proxy war’ significantly deviate from their classical interpretations.
The Iranian regime urgently relies on two well-known levers to solidify its sovereignty. The primary lever within Iran is characterized by harsh repression, as evidenced by the regime’s systemic human rights violations condemned by the United Nations over 70 times. The stark reality is underscored by the sheer number of executions in 2023 alone.
The second lever the regime utilizes, facilitated through proxy forces, involves war-mongering and the deliberate instigation of crises in the countries under its influence.
The Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), established to orchestrate and deploy proxy forces, has played a pivotal role in various wars and regional crises.
This presence was exemplified by Qassem Soleimani, the slain commander of the Quds Force, who maintained a permanent and influential presence in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.
The former Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, admitted in a controversial interview that the regime’s foreign policy is intricately tied to the field forces, with planned weekly meetings with Soleimani to strategize and advance the regime’s aggressive goals.
According to Gholam Ali Rashid, the commander of the IRGC’s main base, Qassem Soleimani organized six armies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in occupied Palestine, Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, and Ansarullah in Yemen. These proxy forces are strategically positioned as obstacles to safeguard Iran’s interests.
The Supreme Leader of the regime, Ali Khamenei, has consistently emphasized the need for active forces in the region to counter the ‘enemy,’ a term referring to the citizens in Iranian cities.
The presence of proxy forces in regional conflicts, viewed through a political lens, yields more benefits than direct military intervention.
For instance, Lebanese Hezbollah committed egregious crimes against the Syrian people, Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq targeted dissidents, and the Houthis in Yemen acted on behalf of the Iranian regime.
Deploying the Revolutionary Guards directly would likely result in fewer achievements and more significant political losses.
Iran’s primary objective in engaging in ‘proxy war’ is to exert pressure on Western and regional governments, aiming to impose restrictions on the regime’s ‘enemy’ and ‘main adversary,’ which is identified as the Iranian resistance.
This resistance, represented by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has garnered significant global support, including endorsements from 120 former heads of state, dozens of Nobel Prize winners, and thousands of mayors across Europe.
The NCRI has been actively working for over forty years to overthrow the regime, boasting notable achievements such as bringing an end to Khomeini’s war against Iraq and exposing the regime’s clandestine plan to obtain an atomic bomb.
Prominent figures such as Mike Pence, the former Vice President of the United States, and Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State, have openly acknowledged and supported the credibility of the NCRI.
The Iranian resistance underscores that the Velayat-e Faqih regime is the principal impediment to peace and security in the region.
They argue that targeting the ‘snake’s head,’ a metaphor for the religious fascism ruling Iran, is the key to liberating the people of Iran and the entire region from the influence of the Velayat-e Faqih regime and its affiliated proxy forces.
The ultimate solution, according to the resistance, lies in dismantling the oppressive regime to pave the way for freedom and rights for the people of Iran.
