Hezbollah of Iran

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See also: Ansar-e Hezbollah

The Hezbollah, or Party of God, is an Iranian movement of groups formed at the time of the Iranian Revolution to assist the Ayatollah Khomeini and his forces in consolidating power. They were said to have "played an important role on the street at crucial moments in the early days of the revolution by confronting those the regime regarded as counter-revolutionaries,"^[1] and also to "generally act without meaningful police restraint or fear of persecution."^[2]

They initially attacked demonstrations and offices of newspapers that were critical of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Once political challenges to the regime had died down their attacks expanded to include a wide variety of activities found to be undesirable for "moral" or "cultural" reasons,^[3] such as poor hijab, mixing of the sexes and consumption of alcohol.^[4] Mojtaba Bigdeli is a spokesman for the Iranian Hezbollah.

Contents 1 History and activities 1.1 Appearance 2 Ansar-e Hezbollah 3 References 3.1 Bibliography 4 External links

[edit] History and activities

Hezbollah is/was not a tightly structured independent organisation but more a movement of loosely bound groups, usually centered around a mosque.^[5] The name Hezbollah, or party of Allah, is generic,^[6] coming from a verse in the Quran:

And whoever takes Allah and His apostle and those who believe for a guardian, then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant. ^{[Qur'an 5:56][7]}(italics added)

In the early days of the Revolution, Khomeinists -- those in the Islamic Republican Party -- denied connection to Hezbollah, and maintaining its attacks were the spontaneous will of the people over which the government had no control.^[8]

The Hezbollahi is a wild torrent surpassing the imagination. He is a maktabi [one who follows Islam comprehensively], disgusted with any leaning to the East or West. He has a pocketful of documents exposing the treason of those who pose as intellectuals. He is simple, sincere and angry. Stay away from his anger, which destroys all in its path. Khomeini is his heart and soul . ... The Hezbollahi does not use eau de cologne, wear a tie or smoke American cigarettes. ... You might wonder where he gets his information. He is everywhere, serving your food, selling you ice-cream.^[9]

In fact, the Islamic Republican forces did supervise Hezbollah. Hojjat al-Islam Hadi Ghaffari, "a young protegee of Khomeini," being in charge of them.^[10]

Hezbollah was instrumental in the Islamic Cultural Revolution against secularists and modernists at Iran's universities.

After Friday prayers on 18 April 1980, Khomeini harshly attacked the universities. `We are not afraid of economic sanctions or military intervention. What we are afraid of is Western universities and the training of our youth in the interests of West or East.` His remarks served as a signal for an attack that evening on the Tehran Teachers Training College. One student was reportedly lynched, and according to a British correspondent, the campus was left looking like `a combat zone.` The next day, hezbollahis ransacked left-wing student offices at Shiraz University. Some 300 students required hospital treatment. Attacks on student groups also took place at Mashad and Isfahan Universities"` Attacks continued April 21 and "the next day at the Universities at Ahwaz and Rasht. Over 20 people lost their lives in these university confrontations. ... The universities closed soon after the April confrontation for Islamization`. They were not to open for another two years." ^[11]

[edit] Appearance

The Hezbollahi do not wear uniforms, but are said to be recognizable to Iranians by a familiar "look" that ignores fashion and in particular Western fashion. Hezbollahi favor simple, non-fashionable, collared shirts that are never tucked into their pants; plain slacks (never jeans), and plain black shoes or slippers. A black and white Palestinian-style scarf is commonly worn in the winter. A beard or three-day growth is almost always worn.^[12]

[edit] Ansar-e Hezbollah

Ansar-e Hezbollah was formed in 1995, ^[13] A 1997 Amnesty International report describes Ansar-e Hezbollah as an "offshoot" of Hezbollah. ^[14] and Middle East International describes it as the "vigilante associate" of Hezbollah.^[15] Journalist Afshin Molavi describes them as "a small fringe group" with "perhaps 100 Tehran members at most," but with influence disproportionate to its numbers thanks to "links with police and security services and high-level conservative clerics." Ansar-e Hezbollah is known for its attacks against "popular Islamic philosopher" Abdol Karim Soroush.^[16]

Main article: Ansar-e Hezbollah

[edit] References

[edit] Bibliography

• Moin, Baqer (2000). Khomeini: Life of the Ayatollah. Thomas Dunne Books. 
• Schirazi, Asghar (1997). The Constitution of Iran. Tauris. 

[edit] External links

• Iran: Group known as Anssar-e Hizbollah (Ansar/Anzar e Hezbollah) UNHCR 2007