Hezbollah: An Iranian Project?

Hezbollah, which in Arabic stands for the “Party of God,” has over the last few decades grown into one of the most influential Lebanese political organizations and militias. Hezbollah was conceived in the midst of the violent civil War of Lebanon, and in its early stage it often resorted to terrorist acts. However, over the years it has gradually transformed into a legitimate political current. The Party differs from the other Middle Eastern factors in that it has never been defeated or severely weakened by Israel. Hezbollah is a Shiite fundamentalist party and thus it is strategically supported by the Shiite Islamic Republic of Iran. By observing the Party’s dynamics, actions, agenda, hierarchy, structure, and rhetoric, one can identify many direct links to the Islamic Republic. This implies that Iran had been heavily involved in the Party’s founding and organization. Furthermore, since the Party keeps being politically,