MADRID – What are the points of convergence and divergence between the political ideologies of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic Revolution of Iran?

This article argues that the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah share numerous intellectual and ideological similarities. The key difference between the two lies in the establishment of an Islamic government. Due to Lebanon’s unique conditions—marked by its cultural and religious diversity—Hezbollah’s leadership has been unable to effectively pursue the creation of an Islamic regime.

Hezbollah, as Iran's main ally, is the only long-standing Shia Islamist group in the region and the only Shia movement in the Middle East where the theories of the Islamic Revolution have been practically implemented.

One of the most influential Islamist movements to emerge in the Arab world in the 1980s was Hezbollah in Lebanon. The group arose in the early part of the decade, inspired by the political Islam of Imam Khomeini. During Lebanon’s civil war, the Shia community lost faith in leftist parties and Arab nationalist movements, seeking an ideology that could offer them stability, peace, and security. The principles, ideals, and teachings of the Islamic Revolution met the aspirations of these marginalized and war-weary Shia.

In this context, it was natural for the Shia, especially Hezbollah, to embrace the peace and stability promoted by the Islamic Revolution, along with the system of the Islamic Republic and the guidance of Imam Khomeini.

During the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Lebanon was embroiled in civil war. Despite this, Iran maintained relations with Lebanon, focused on defending peace, stability, and supporting the country's territorial integrity against the Zionist regime. The historical ties between clerics from both countries, Lebanon’s proximity to Israel, the influx of Palestinian refugees, and ongoing Israeli military aggression reinforced Hezbollah’s importance as a Shia Resistance movement aligned with the policies and goals of the Islamic Revolution in the region.

Hezbollah in Lebanon

In the early 1960s, the influence of Western culture, particularly French, along with the rise of secular discourse and a disregard for Islamic norms, led to deep material and spiritual deprivation among the Shia community in Lebanon at that time. This situation prompted several Lebanese Shia clerics to return after years of studying in Najaf, dedicating themselves to promoting Islamic culture based on Twelver Shia beliefs in local mosques.

Over time, attention centered on three prominent clerics: Imam Musa al-Sadr, Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din, and Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah. Each had unique qualities and employed scientific and practical methods tailored to the cultural concerns of Lebanese society. The presence of these religious and spiritual leaders in Lebanon played a crucial role in shaping and forming Islamic Resistance.

Before the Islamic Revolution in Iran, intellectual convergence between Lebanese and Iranian Shia clerics already existed. However, the revolution demonstrated this convergence on a practical level. The growing influence of Shia clerics in Lebanon is one reason the Lebanese Shia community embraced the Islamic Revolution. After the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr, who had significantly transformed the Shia community through his speeches, other figures such as Sheikh Raghib Harb and Sayyid Abbas Musawi, inspired by the Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini, began organizing their activities, thus forming the initial core of Hezbollah.

When considering the poverty and deprivation faced by Lebanon’s Shia community, along with its religious leadership and propaganda, as two of the most relevant internal factors in Hezbollah’s creation, the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, led by Imam Khomeini, must also be acknowledged as a key external factor. However, it is important not to overlook the Zionist regime’s invasion of Lebanon in June 1982, the occupation of southern Lebanon, the displacement of thousands of Shia, and the massacres and crimes committed by Israeli soldiers against Lebanese Shia, all of which were fundamental in facilitating Hezbollah's emergence.

In summary, the following factors should be considered essential in the formation of Hezbollah in Lebanon:

1. The influence of the Islamic Revolution’s teachings in Lebanon, particularly within the Shia community.
2. The deprivation and lack of social justice in Muslim society, coupled with the inefficiency of the existing governmental structure.
3. Civil wars and the collapse of the social democratic system, along with the disregard for the political and cultural rights of the Shia.
4. The increased aggression by the Zionist regime in the south, aimed at weakening the Muslim position.
5. Regional developments, such as peace negotiations between Arabs and Israel and the broad intervention of foreign countries in Lebanon’s affairs.

Hezbollah's growing importance in Lebanon

Various factors have contributed to Hezbollah’s significance in Lebanon. Rooted in Shia Islamic beliefs and shaped by the teachings of Iran’s Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini, Hezbollah has successfully mobilized the population to confront Israel. This movement, anchored in ideological principles and Islamic practice, views the fight against occupiers as a duty, making resistance against Israel the core of its activities.

When comparing Hezbollah’s political ideology in Lebanon to that of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, several key aspects of their respective political visions stand out. Below are five fundamental points of convergence:
1. Stance on the Axis of Resistance: Both strongly defend the Axis of Resistance, emphasizing the fight against external aggression, particularly from Israel.
2. Promotion of Islamic Symbolism: There is a shared focus on the culture of Resistance, jihad, and martyrdom operations.
3. Perspective on Palestine and Israel: Both Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic are deeply committed to the Palestinian cause, rejecting Israeli occupation.
4. Anti-Western Position: They share a common rejection of Western political narratives, advocating alternatives aligned with their ideologies.
5. Vision of Islamic Unity: Both emphasize the importance of cohesive resistance against external threats, grounded in Islamic unity.

Shia political Islam emerged as a central ideology during the Islamic Revolution and in Hezbollah’s formation, serving as a beacon for revolutionaries. By embracing this vision and mobilizing people against oppressive regimes, they not only overcame adversity but also became a source of collective pride and inspiration.

The revolutionaries’ primary goals revolve around establishing a just governance model, promoting Islamic unity in opposition to the West, and revitalizing Islamic identity. In this context, both the Iranian revolution and Hezbollah’s anti-hegemonic struggle have been viewed as threats to the interests of global powers and the world order, challenging a centuries-old narrative considered obsolete.

Thus, the core of both the Islamic Republic’s and Hezbollah’s discourse is centered on an “Islamic, revolutionary, and anti-Western identity.” From this foundation, the entire political and ideological convergence between Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic can be understood.