ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iranian interference abroad is key to its security strategy, according to a report published by the US Defense Intelligence Agency on Wednesday. Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Robert P. Ashley Jr described Iran as leading a “cohesive bloc” of state and non-state Shia and Alawite actors, which he labeled “an Axis of Resistance” against the West. The Alawites are a minority sect who follow a liberal offshoot of Shia Islam, and are primarily concentrated in Syria. Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is a member of the community. The report comes amid growing protests across the country, Israeli airstrikes on Iranian forces in Syria, and increasing international pressure following violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement. The country is “implacably” opposed to US presence in the Middle East and its support of Israel, according to the director. He added that Iran is now “closer than ever” to achieving its goals thanks to its role in the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). According to the publication, Iran now possesses the largest missile force in the Middle East and is designed to “overwhelm US forces and our partners in the region.” It cited the use of proxy forces and unconventional warfare as “central” to Iran’s deterrence strategy, “curbing” the threat of terror before it reaches the domestic front. Iran provides military, financial and political support to a number of militant groups overseas, including Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, known as Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, and various Palestinian groups. Tehran is adept at using regional chaos to its advantage, cementing its presence in areas torn apart by conflict, as can be seen by its military presence in Syria and Iraq. Around 150,000 Hashd al-Shaabi fighters are spread across Iraq, from Shingal to Baghdad, following the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). “[Iran] has consistently demonstrated a preference for using partners, proxies and covert campaigns to intervene in regional affairs,” the report read. It added that such interference has increased since the outbreak of violence in Syria. “Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Iran has become increasingly involved in regional conflicts, with varying levels of military intervention in Iraq, Syria and Yemen,” it said. The Quds Force, headed by Major General Qasem Soleimani, is the driving force of Iran’s unconventional warfare operations with a wide reach across the Middle East, and “leads Iran’s power projection through a complex network of state and non-state actors and militant proxies.” Tehran refers to its forces abroad as “defenders of the Holy Shrine,” referring to holy Shia sites in Iraq and Syria. Iranian influence is also present among Afghans and Pakistanis fighting abroad in Syria. The Fatemiyoun brigade, made up of Afghan Shias fighting alongside regime forces in Syria, was founded in the 1980s. It previously fought in the Iran-Iraq war before joining the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expeditionary force. The Zainabiyoun brigade, host to Pakistani Shiite fighters, is officially tasked with defending the Sayeeda Zainab mosque in Damascus from ISIS. Hundreds of members have been killed over the course of the Syrian civil war. Israel views Tehran as its biggest regional threat and has attempted to diminish its foreign influence through striking Iranian munitions bases in Syria. The Quds force was targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Damascus on Tuesday, killing dozens in the Syrian capital. The strikes hit Damascus International Airport and the National Defense building, which host the force’s headquarters and intelligence unit respectively. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the Israeli Air Force was on “high alert” and fears an imminent attack from Tehran, according to the Jerusalem Post. Iran has also been accused of driving the violent crackdown on Iraqi protesters. Demonstrations have taken a distinctly anti-Iran tone, with protesters defacing posters of Ayatollah Khomenei, the founder of the Islamic Republic. The Iranian consulate in Karbala was set alight by protesters two weeks ago as anger raged against perceived Iranian influence in Iraq. “Iraqis want to decide on their fate by themselves, and not by Tehran”, one protester told Rudaw English. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also drawn attention to Iranian influence amid the ongoing protests sweeping across the south. “We support the Iraqi people who strive for a prosperous Iraq free of corruption and Iranian influence,” he told reporters in Washington on Monday. The report also listed Iran’s development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and its ongoing violation of the JCPOA nuclear agreement as sources of concern. “Iran has no nuclear weapons but its nuclear weapons program remains a significant concern for the United States,” Ashley wrote. Iran has continued to increase its uranium enrichment, banned under the agreement, and threatens to continue expanding its nuclear capabilities if economic relief is not provided by Europe.
