It appears that protests in Iran have once again been suppressed by the government. Members of the Iraqi Resistance helped sending several hundred men to assist Tehran.
The number of Iraqi Hashd members that went to Iran is contested. Iraqi security sources told CNN almost 5000 fighters crossed into Iran from Maysan and Wasit. Iran International had a smaller figure of 500. What is not contested was that these fighters came from Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayid al-Shuhada and Badr. This was confirmed by European security sources, the Iraqi Observatory for Rights and Freedom, and the Iraqi Media Center.
Resistance factions openly talked about helping Iran against the protesters.
This is not the first time that Iraqi groups have gone to help Iran put down demonstrations. In 2022 there were similar reports when a woman died in Iranian police custody setting off several months of public unrest.
This should be no surprise. Many of these groups were created by Tehran and are funded by it. They also proclaim to follow wilayat al-faqih which is to follow the religious authority in Iran. They have been used in Iraq but also in Syria, Yemen and against Israel and the United States.
SOURCES
Al Alam, “Iraqi Factions in Iran: A Cross-Border Adventure Threatens to Drag Baghdad into the Heart of the Confrontation,” 1/15/26
Iraqi International Newsroom, “EXCLUSIVE - Iran Reportedly Brings Iraqi Allies To Crack Down On Protests,” 1/1/22
Tawfeeq, Mohammed and Bell, Melissa, “Iraqi militias have joined the Iranian regime’s crackdown security sources say,” CNN, 1/15/26
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