Asharq Al-Awsat, London,11 Feb 2013 — Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah are building militia forces inside Syria to ensure their post-Assad influence in the country, according to officials quoted by the Washington Post.
The allegations focus on the Jaysh Al-Sha’bi, a militia that was sanctioned last year by the US Treasury Department, which claims the militia has “conducted unilateral and joint operations with Syrian military and security elements against the Syrian opposition that have resulted in the deaths and injuries of Syrian opposition members.”
The Treasury Department says that Iran has provided millions of dollars of funding to the force, which the paper’s sources allege could mean support for as many as 50,000 militiamen.
While Iran has backed the government of Bashar Al-Assad, Tehran’s support for the militia is likely an attempt to ensure that Iran has a local ally in the event of the collapse of the beleaguered government headed by Bashar Al-Assad, one that can help secure Iranian interests. One official quoted by the paper said: “The immediate intention seems to be support for the Syrian regime. But it’s important for Iran to have a force in Syria that is reliable and can be counted on.”

Among these interests is Tehran’s relationship with Hezbollah in Lebanon, another close ally of Iran. “Jaysh is essentially an Iran-Hezbollah joint venture,” said to David Cohen, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. According to the Treasury Department, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah have provided “training, advice, and weapons and equipment” for the force.
The militia may therefore be a means by which Iran can keep a supply line open to its ally in Lebanon if the government collapses and Syria descends into sectarian warfare, as neighboring Lebanon did in the 1970s, allowing Iran to retain some influence in both countries.