Iran’s regime doubles down on its Axis of Resistance as militias in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen escalate threats and defy disarmament efforts.
The Iranian regime continues to demonstrate that nothing about its regional strategy has changed. Despite growing international pressure and efforts by local governments to disarm Tehran’s militias, Iranian leaders and their proxy forces have intensified their rhetoric and threats, underscoring the regime’s unyielding commitment to destabilization and conflict in the Middle East.
On August 15, Abu Hussein al Hamidawi, Secretary General of the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, issued a statement calling for strengthening militias aligned with Tehran. He demanded advanced weapons, greater technical capabilities, and improved “defensive and destructive capacities.” This appeal came in direct response to US efforts to weaken the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” the network of Iran’s armed proxies across the region. His words reflect not only Tehran’s strategy but also its confidence that both Iran and sympathetic factions within Iraq’s federal government will continue to arm and finance these groups.
Hamidawi’s statement follows reports that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Commander Esmail Ghaani had urged Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) leaders in late July to pressure Baghdad for funding to modernize their weapon systems. The PMF, formally part of Iraq’s state security structure, is dominated by Iranian-backed militias and remains a central pillar of Tehran’s regional influence. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki echoed this position in an August 8 call with Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, stressing the PMF’s importance against US and Israeli initiatives to weaken Hezbollah and other militias.
Meanwhile, Iran has made clear that its backing of other proxies remains unwavering. On August 14, Velayati met with the Houthis’ representative in Tehran and underlined the group’s “pivotal role” in the Axis of Resistance’s war against Israel. He dismissed claims of the network’s decline and insisted on Iran’s full support. The Houthis remain the only faction still conducting direct attacks on Israel and continue to endanger international shipping in the Red Sea and beyond.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah leaders have escalated their threats against the state. On August 15, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem warned that the group would incite mass protests if the Lebanese government pursued its newly approved plan to disarm Hezbollah. He denounced the government’s decision as an “American-Israeli order,” vowing that Hezbollah would resist at any cost—even if it led to civil war. His statement came just days after Hezbollah mobilized limited protests in its strongholds following Beirut’s acceptance of a US-backed disarmament proposal.
The disarmament initiative assigns the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) the task of dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal. However, Hezbollah allies within the Lebanese political establishment, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, are working to mediate between the government and the militia to avoid armed clashes. Despite this, Hezbollah continues to justify its weapons by citing Israeli military activity and the 1989 Taif Agreement, which exempted the group from Lebanon’s broader disarmament process.
Qassem’s remarks drew sharp criticism within Lebanon. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described them as “a veiled threat of civil war,” while Justice Minister Adel Nassar emphasized that the Lebanese government had been considering Hezbollah’s disarmament long before US proposals and that the state’s monopoly on weapons is “not open to debate.”
Taken together, these developments highlight a consistent pattern: Iran’s regime and its proxies remain committed to regional aggression, obstruction of state sovereignty, and threats of civil strife. From Iraq to Lebanon and Yemen, Tehran’s so-called Axis of Resistance continues to function as a destabilizing force, ensuring that the regime’s strategy of exporting conflict and undermining stability remains unchanged.