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Hizbullah's Iranian Origins

(NOW-Lebanon) Tony Badran - In an interview with Al-Mayadeen TV last Friday, Hizbullah's second in command, Naim Qassem, offered details about the group's genesis and Iran's role in it. Its genesis is related to the network of Iranian revolutionary cadres loyal to Imam Ruhollah Khomeini who were operating in Lebanon in the 1970s. They worked to recruit young Shiites who would submit to Khomeini's leadership and religious authority. In 1978-79 these cadres in Lebanon formed "committees in support of the Islamic Revolution." The Iranian committees were organized by the Association of Militant Clergy, among whose founding members were Ali Khamenei. The Association was likewise cloned in Lebanon as the "Militant Clergy in Lebanon," which organized pro-Khomeini rallies. Explaining how Hizbullah got its name, Qassem said, "The name was in emulation of Hizbullah which existed in Iran." The writer is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2014-05-23 00:00:00
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