Axis of Resistance: Difference between revisions

The Axis of Resistance or Resistance Front refers to a collection of countries and also Muslim and Shia military groups whose objective is to end Western dominance in the Middle East<ref>Mohammadi-Sirat, "Olguy-e Namayesh Naqsh-e Amniyat-Afarin Shahidan Mehvar-e Moqavemat dar Rasaneh-ye Melli," p. 63</ref>, combat Israel, and defend Palestinian freedom<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mehvar-e Moqavemat," pp. 3 and 5</ref>. The governments of Iran, Syria, and Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, resistance groups in Palestine such as Islamic Jihad and Hamas, as well as the Ansar Allah group in Yemen, are considered part of the Axis of Resistance<ref>Mohammadi-Sirat, "Olguy-e Namayesh Naqsh-e Amniyat-Afarin Shahidan MEhvar-e Moqavemat dar Rasaneh-ye Melli," p. 63</ref>. The formation of the Axis of Resistance has been analyzed as being inspired by the slogans of the Islamic Revolution of Iran that emphasize resistance against global powers<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," pp. 5-6</ref>. According to Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, Seyyed Ali Khamenei is the heart and core of the Axis of Resistance and the Islamic Republic of Iran<ref>"Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah: Artesh-e Israel Yek Artesh-e Hollywoodi Natavan Ast / Ayatollah Khamenei Hussein Zamān Ast," In ISNA Website.</ref>.

The phrase "Axis of Resistance" was first used after George W. Bush, the President of the United States, referred to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as the "axis of evil" in February 2002 (29 January 2002), and then John Bolton, the then Deputy Secretary of State, included Syria, Libya, and Cuba in this list<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 2</ref>. In response to this stance, the Libyan magazine Al-Zahf Al-Akhdar referred to those countries not as an axis of evil but as an Axis of Resistance standing against the United States<ref>"John Bolton: Libi, Suriyeh va Kuba Niz Bayad dar Fehrest-e Mahvar-e Shararat Gharar Girand," In ISNA Website.</ref>. Subsequently, Saeed Sa'im, the Minister of Interior of Palestine, used the term "Axis of Resistance" in an interview with Alalam TV to refer to the common political goals in the struggle against the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing that Syria, Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Palestine form the Axis of Resistance to fight against the U.S. and Israel<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 2</ref>. Furthermore, Ali Akbar Velayati, a former Iranian Foreign Minister, in August 2010, considered the resistance chain against Israel to include Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the new Iraqi government, and Hamas<ref>Khosroshahin, "Bazdarandegi Mahvar-e Moqavemat," dar Sayt-e Roznameh Sazandegi</ref>. He believed that because this chain passes through Syria, the country plays a crucial role in the resistance against Israel<ref>Khosroshahin, "Bazdarandegi Mahvar-e Moqavemat," dar Sayt-e Roznameh Sazandegi</ref>. During a meeting between Saeed Jalili, the then Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, and Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, the Axis of Resistance was discussed<ref>Khosroshahin, "Bazdarandegi Mahvar-e Moqavemat," dar Sayt-e Roznameh Sazandegi</ref>.

The concept of the Axis of Resistance has developed in the context of the historical events of the past few decades and can be traced in the face of Israel, ISIS (in Syria and Iraq), and the presence of the United States in the Middle East<ref>Khamenei, "Bayanat dar Maraseme Danesh-Amookhtagi Daneshjuyan Daneshgah-e Oloum Entezami," Website of Daftar-e Hefz va Nashr-e Asar-e Ayatollah Khamenei; Basiri, "Vakavi-e Tahdidat-e Amniyati ISIS bar Mehvar-e Moqavemat va Ta'sir-e An bar Amniyat-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran," pp. 7, 11, and 13-14 and 20; Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," pp. 12-13</ref>.

The identity of Israel as an occupying force and its failure to adhere to the borders defined in 1948 has led Palestinians, including the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, to maintain a hostile view towards Israel, threatening its existence<ref>17. Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>.

The 22-day war in Gaza, which occurred in January 2009, is one example of the threats to Israel’s national security posed by Islamic resistance forces<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>. Additionally, the political-military organization Hezbollah Lebanon, a Shia group, succeeded in ending Israel's 18-year military control over parts of southern Lebanon in June 2000<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>. The confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel continued in the 33-day war, which took place from late July 2006 to late August of the same year<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>.

Relations between Syria and Israel have been hostile since the Six-Day War in January 1967, during which Israel occupied a large part of Syria known as the Golan Heights<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>. The relationship became more antagonistic after the Iranian Revolution and particularly under the presidency of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, resulting in closer alignment among Iran, Syria, Palestinian jihadist forces, and Hezbollah<ref>Karimi, "Naqsh-e J. E. Iran dar Hoviyat-Bakhshi be Majmu'e Amniyati Mahvar-e Moqavemat," p. 12</ref>.

The seizure of significant parts of Syria and Iraq by the Salafist Islamist group ISIS transformed the Axis of Resistance into an alliance to combat military, political, economic, and social threats facing the associated countries<ref>Basiri, "Vakavi-e Tahdidat-e Amniyati ISIS bar Mahvar-e Moqavemat va Ta'sir-e An bar Amniyat-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran," pp. 21-22</ref>. Consequently, the Iranian government initiated military and advisory efforts in Iraq and Syria to prevent the advance of ISIS<ref>Basiri, "Vakavi-e Tahdidat-e Amniyati ISIS bar Mahvar-e Moqavemat va Ta'sir-e An bar Amniyat-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran," pp. 21-22</ref>. Protecting sacred sites in Iraq and Syria, including the shrine of Hazrat Zainab bint Ali (peace be upon her), has been cited as one of Iran's objectives in the region<ref>Basiri, "Vakavi-e Tahdidat-e Amniyati ISIS bar Mahvar-e Moqavemat va Ta'sir-e An bar Amniyat-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran," pp. 21-22</ref>. Additionally, discussions with Russia and China in support of the governments of Syria and Iraq against ISIS have been part of the efforts of the Axis of Resistance<ref>Basiri, "Vakavi-e Tahdidat-e Amniyati ISIS bar Mahvar-e Moqavemat va Ta'sir-e An bar Amniyat-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran," pp. 21-22</ref>.