ABSTRACT
Iran has cultivated a proxy relationship with the Lebanese Hezbollah to meet two key objectives: (1) to promote its ideological standing as a champion of the Muslim interests and (2) to enhance its strategic defenses against the US and Israel. There is a symbiosis between ideology and strategic assessment in Iran. They are mutually reinforcing and difficult to disentangle. Iran’s ideological outlook has guided its actions in sponsoring the formation of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the alliance with Syria against Israel and the US. The notion of resistance against Israel (seen as the occupier of Muslim lands) and the US (seen as the oppressive superpower and sponsor of Israel) served an important purpose in the formation of the “axis of resistance”. This relationship also allows Iran to remind Israel and the US that it has a willing partner on Israel’s doorsteps. In Iran’s strategic calculations, Hezbollah acts as an important deterrent against Israeli or US airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure and gives Iran an edge to project power. The importance of Hezbollah as a strategic asset was highlighted in recent years following the growing Daesh threat to the Assad’s regime. Iran’s risk assessment in relation to Daesh has led to a doubling of commitment to Hezbollah as a viable and reliable fighting force.
