Iran’s response to ongoing protests illustrates a regime willing to utilize extreme measures to maintain control. Under the direction of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian government employs the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and foreign militant organizations to suppress dissent through violence and intimidation.
The protests, which began on December 28, 2025, have garnered significant unrest across the nation. In an attempt to quash these movements, Iran has called upon a host of foreign militia groups. These groups, often funded and guided by the Iranian government, extend their influence within the region while also bolstering Iran’s internal security efforts during crises. This strategy highlights Iran’s troubling position as a destabilizing force, not just domestically but throughout the Middle East as well.
Iraqi Shia militias, such as Kataib Hezbollah, have become key players in this crackdown. With thousands of militia fighters crossing the border into Iran, their presence underlines a severe escalation in the Iranian regime’s approach. Initially estimated at a few hundred, reports quickly jumped to nearly 5,000, indicating a growing desperation among Iranian leaders to quell public uprising. “If the United States strikes Iran, we will attack U.S. bases across the Middle East,” warned Kataib Hezbollah’s commander, a stark reminder of the threats posed by these militias.
Other groups, including Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, have similarly crossed into Iranian territory, posing a significant challenge to protestors. Their deployment has been masked under the guise of religious pilgrimages, allowing these fighters to infiltrate while creating a facade that obscures their true intentions. This practice emphasizes the Iranian regime’s strategic ingenuity in manipulating religious narratives for political gain.
Video footage and reports indicate that these militia fighters have been spotted actively engaging in crowd control and urban repression. Their prior combat experience amassed in conflict regions like Syria is directly applied to disrupting protests. Iranian attorney Tahmineh Dehbozorgi described harrowing accounts of street-level shootings executed by the Fatemiyoun Brigade, an Afghan militia redirected to tackle domestic unrest after their roles in Syria were diminished.
This troubling trend of employing foreign forces also raises questions about the loyalty and capacity of Iranian police and military personnel. As officials express concern that local forces may hesitate to suppress unarmed civilians, the regime turns to foreign proxies to perform what it fears its own troops will not. By relying on outside assistance from groups such as Iraqi militias and Hezbollah, the Iranian government preserves a shield of deniability while committing egregious acts against its own citizens.
Hezbollah’s involvement in this crackdown is perceived to be less robust, constrained by its weakened position following increased military operations from Israel in 2024 and 2025. This organization has refrained from overt participation, with officials instead framing the protests as instruments of foreign intervention. This reluctance speaks to the complex dynamics at play, where even the strongest militant groups remain cautious amid potential backlash.
Key figures within Iran, such as Ali Larijani, have taken a hands-on approach in orchestrating the crackdown. Reports suggest that foreign proxies serve as a failsafe, ensuring that suppression efforts persist even in the face of dissent from domestic forces. Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted that this deliberate strategy of employing foreign militias aims to circumvent any potential reluctance from Iranian security forces.
In summary, Iran’s call upon foreign militias during domestic protests reflects a broader strategy to quell opposition by any means necessary. The shift towards utilizing external forces illustrates a regime deeply frightened of losing its grip on power. As protests continue, the involvement of these groups stands as a stark reminder of the lengths to which the Iranian government will go to maintain control, often at the expense of its own people.
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