Involvement of foreign militias in the suppression of protests in Iran

A significant aspect of political repression in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been the deployment of non-Iranian militias in violent crackdowns against Iranian civilians during major protests. These foreign militias are normally proxy forces backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which sustains a coalition called the Axis of Resistance to fight in wars across the Middle East, generally consisting of Shia Muslims in armed groups from Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Their involvement is usually considered a part of a broader strategy by the government of Iran to maintain internal stability by crushing dissent among its citizens. Notable groups that have been documented as direct participants in the suppression of Iranian protests since the 2000s include Lebanese Hezbollah, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, the Yemeni Houthis, the Pakistani Liwa Zainabiyoun, and the Afghan Liwa Fatemiyoun.