Hizbullah as a regional brand: not all parties are equal

ABSTRACT

Although the term Hizbullah (Party of God) has become synonymous with the Lebanese group that bears its name, the reality is that many more groups have, and currently do use the term. Sharing the same generic name however, is not necessarily indicative of ideological affinity let alone operational cooperation. This paper discusses the origins of the term and the groups that have adopted the name, as well as the links between them and with Iran. Besides some outlier Sunni groups who use the name, the best way to view the groups’ ideological leanings is to think of them as either intellectually supporting the Iranian concept of governance (khat al-Imam) or as more actively and practically advancing Iranian interests in the region (khat al-Hizbullah).

KEYWORDS:

• Hizbullah
• Iran
• Shi‘a
• Khomeini
• wilayat al-faqih

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on Contributor

Dr Rodger Shanahan is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy with a focus on Shi'a political development and Middle Eastern security issues. He is the author of Clans, Parties and Clerics: the Shi'a of Lebanon.