In light of all the developments that have taken place in the region since October 7, 2023, a prime question that arises is whether the Islamic Republic of Iran truly cares for the Arabs, as it continuously claims to be the leader of the axis of resistance against Israel. The Arabs in this context are the Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Yemenis, and the Shia Arab community both inside and outside Iran, across the region.
The few small protests in several areas of Bahrain that glorify terrorists such as Hassan Nasrallah and groups such as Hamas are a testimony to the fact that some people are misguided and brainwashed into thinking that Iran and its proxies are the saviours of the Palestinians and the Arabs. The myth that Iran cares about any Arab can be debunked through evidence of how destructive Iran’s role has been in all Arab countries where it has had a presence and influence over the past 45 years.
Destroying Arabs
The Islamic Republic is largely responsible for the deaths of around a million Syrians by helping Bashar al-Assad suppress the protests of the Arab Spring, with the assistance of Hezbollah. Hezbollah, in turn, is also heavily responsible for suppressing the Lebanese protests of 2019 and acting as a major obstacle to political reforms that could lead Lebanon to regain its status as a well-recognized, stable state, free from militia rule. In Yemen, Iran has used the Houthis as a tool to destabilize the region and create a rift with its Arab Gulf neighbors. Besides its arms support for militias across the region, the Islamic Republic has played no constructive role in leading any of these nations toward prosperity or development. In Iraq, Iran’s role has been one of complete destruction through its support for Shia militias, exacerbating sectarian conflict, and heavily influencing the decision-making process within the Iraqi government.
The Arabs of Iran in the southern region of Ahvaz have also been victims of the Islamic Republic’s suppression. The Arab minority in Iran, whether in the Shia Ahvaz region or other Sunni Arab areas, are deprived of their right to self-determination and are treated as second-class citizens. The Islamic Republic does not allow the building of Sunni mosques in Sunni Arab populated areas and provides minimal representation for Sunnis in its parliament. Following 45 years of no Sunni representation in government, Iran’s recently elected President Pezeshkian appointed the first Sunni minister in his cabinet, a step that perhaps comes with the aim of cozying up to its Sunni Arab neighbors at a time when it is isolated by much of the world.
Spilling Only Arab Blood
Since October 7, Iran’s escalatory statements against Israel and in support of Palestine and Lebanon have not yielded any significant results. These statements and the act of sending a few missiles—mostly without warheads—into Israel are nothing but a public relations stunt by the Islamic Republic. The regime in Iran has so far ensured that no Iranian blood is spilt for any Arab cause, including that of the Palestinian people. All the acts of the Islamic Republic and its proxies, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, have led to the destruction and death of Arabs—and only Arabs. Today, the Palestinians are paying the price for the arrogance and ignorance of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Republic. The self-proclaimed “axis of resistance” could never defeat Israel and its allies—the U.S., UK, France, Germany, and other powers. Hence, the attacks of October 7 were destined to fail.
Through the years, the Islamic Republic has established its Arab proxies across the region, including several branches of Hezbollah in Kuwait, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia, as Hezbollah al-Hejaz in the 1980s. In the Gulf, these groups have been responsible for chaos, sectarian divide, and even coup and assassination attempts over the past few decades. In its effort to export the Islamic revolution to the Arab world, the Iranian regime has worked tirelessly to support Shia militia groups and dismantle legitimate military forces in several Arab countries. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, is an opposing force to the Iraqi Armed Forces, which were once among the strongest in the region. Hezbollah is stronger than the Lebanese military. The Houthis oppose the Yemeni military, and groups like the Fatimiyoun Brigade in Syria are also Iranian proxies. All these proxies cooperate when necessary. According to reports by the Iranian opposition, groups such as Hezbollah were also used inside Iran to suppress the Women, Life, Freedom movement of 2022. On the other hand, Iran uses its proxies selectively while ensuring that no offshoots of these groups form within its own military, a clear indication of how the Islamic Republic protects itself while spreading chaos in Arab countries.
Distancing Itself When Necessary
The Islamic Republic often distances itself from its proxies when under threat. It has distanced itself from the October 7 attacks on Israel by claiming that Hamas carried them out without Iran’s knowledge. Most recently, following the drone attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, Iran stated that it had nothing to do with the incident. This tactic of distancing itself from major events that could provoke harsh retaliation inside Iran is a well-established strategy of the Islamic Republic.
Complexity of Loyalties
Some Arabs who are loyal to the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei, or Hezbollah fail to understand that the regime in Iran would not care if all Arabs—both Sunni and Shia—were to perish in an instant. It would not care if tens of thousands more Palestinians died, nor would it care if the Lebanese and Yemenis continued to lose their countries to poverty and destruction. It would not care if another civil war erupted in Iraq, Syria, or even in countries like Bahrain and Kuwait, which have sizable Shia communities.
Most Shia Arabs realize the threat posed by the Islamic Republic, and understand the ideology of hate spread by this brutal regime. However, unfortunately, some still remain loyal to this ideology. The issue of loyalty is complex. The Islamic Republic pretends to be the protector of the Shia faith, yet all its actions have harmed Shia Arabs and their standing in the region. The Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, is not merely a religious figure but also a political leader of a nation hostile to Arab countries. Hence, criticizing Khamenei is not a sectarian issue nor a criticism of the Shia faith; it is a political critique of a leader with an extremist ideology. Loyalty to Khamenei or figures like Nasrallah is not religious—it is entirely political.
Arab governments should do more to challenge misguided loyalties, as it is vital that people in our region understand that loyalty should be to one’s land and nation. In Bahrain, the National Plan to Promote the Spirit of Belonging to the Nation and Reinforce Values of Nationalism, is an initiative that aims at building awareness over the importance of preserving the national identity in all its shapes and forms. The committee in charge of the national plan has recently announced plans for a conference on reinforcing the Bahraini identity in addition to a number of studies that can help in promoting the cause.
Raising photos of Hassan Nasrallah and chanting slogans like “Labayk ya Nasrallah” by some in Bahrain is unacceptable. Holding memorial services for Hassan Nasrallah, such as the one hosted by the spiritual leader of the opposition Ayatollah Isa Qassim, who currently resides in the Islamic Republic, reflects the dangers of these divided loyalties. Bahrain is a country that respects its religious diversity, where people from different faiths live in mutual respect, and where all communities are treated equally. Therefore, preventing protests that glorify terrorists is not a matter of sectarianism, as the opposition claims. Bahrain would never allow rallies or social media activity promoting Sunni terrorist figures and organizations such as al-Qaida, Daesh, or figures like Bin Laden or Al-Baghdadi. Preventing such rallies is a matter of national security, not sectarianism.
In Bahrain, the Shia population is highly respected and heavily included in decision-making positions within the executive authority. The country also declares Shia holidays as public holidays and ensures that religious processions are conducted with full protection. In addition the small group of misguided individuals protesting and glorifying terrorists do not represent the Shia community.
There needs to be a broader recognition in the region that the Islamic Republic and its proxies have no interest in seeing thriving Arab societies. While larger Gulf Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to provide solutions, financial support, and development opportunities to countries devastated by Iranian interference, the Islamic Republic has caused only damage and destruction.
Our loyalties should be toward our countries and the collective interests of our region. A region that has endured 45 years of chaos due to the destructive actions of the Islamic Republic and its proxies. While we can all agree that peace is the right path forward, it remains difficult to trust a regime that has spread hate, destruction, and terror in Arab countries. The Islamic Republic must do much more to play a positive role in the region, starting with ending its support for proxies and reconsidering its doctrine of exporting the Islamic revolution, while fostering internal change.