Paper Details

The Axis of Resistance, a regional alliance led by Iran encompasses Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and various Iraqi and Syrian militia groups, is undergoing its most profound crisis. Rooted in Iran’s post 1979 doctrine of exporting the Islamic Revolution, the Axis leveraged proxy groups to challenge Western powers and regional adversaries across Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. This research paper explores the fragility of the Axis amid significant geopolitical shifts, including the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, Israel’s intensified military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, and the renewed U.S. ‘maximum pressure’ policy under Trump’s second term. Consecutively the paper delves into the internal fault lines, Operational setbacks and diverging political priorities emerging within the Axis factions, which have further fragmented the alliance and weakened Iran’s capacity to project power. With Hezbollah and Hamas significantly weakened, Iraqi and Syrian militias distancing themselves, and the Houthis remaining the only operational proxy, Iran is forced to navigate between reinforcing its proxy network or reassessing its defence doctrine. The paper also answers how religion is a critical epicentre of the axis and includes different religious ideologies but often shared political objectives and common enemies outweigh religious differences. It also investigates the evolving roles of the United States and Russia wherein U.S. remains committed to a strategy of economic sanctions, military deterrence, and diplomatic isolation whereas Russia adopts a more pragmatic approach. The Axis’s future hinges on Iran’s proxy network recovery, U.S.-Israeli pressure, and Russia’s role. Despite weakening, it remains a destabilising force, with Tehran needing to manage divisions and recalibrate its strategy amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Axis Of Resistance, Iran, Hezbollah, Middle East, Role of Religion