Spotlight on Iran

Highlights ^[1]

• The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon attended the funeral of the father of Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, who passed away earlier this week.
• The Iranian foreign minister stated during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart that Iran supports ending the Israeli occupation in Syria, preserving Syria’s territorial integrity, and establishing a government based on the will of all citizens.
• Amid continued negotiations to establish a new government in Iraq, Iran’s ambassador to Iraq stated that Iran believes Nouri al- Maliki is suited for the position of Iraqi prime minister. However, he emphasized that the decision is an internal Iraqi matter.
• The Houthis condemned Israeli “aggression” in the Gaza Strip, warning that it could lead to a regional confrontation. In Yemen, a photograph was published showing an IRGC officer documented in Houthi-controlled areas.
• A militia operating in southern Syria issued a warning against the Israeli presence in the area.

Iran and the Lebanese Arena

• On February 2, 2026, Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani attended the funeral of Abdel Karim Nasrallah, father of former Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah (snn.ir, February 2, 2026).

Iran and the Syrian Arena

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressed developments in Syria during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his visit to Turkey. He stated that Iran supports preserving Syria’s territorial integrity, ending the occupation by the “Zionist regime,” achieving stability, and establishing a government based on the will of the citizens and the participation of all sectors of Syrian society. He stressed that Tehran seeks stability and unity in Syria and views this as part of achieving regional stability (snn.ir, January 30, 2026).

Iran and the Iraqi Arena

• Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq, said that any external position or statement regarding the process of determining Iraq’s next prime minister must be made with full respect for Iraqi sovereignty and within the framework of legal mechanisms. Referring to the Shiite Coordination Framework’s agreement to present Nouri al-Maliki as a candidate for the premiership, the ambassador said Iran is monitoring the process and believes that al-Maliki possesses significant executive experience and has previously demonstrated his ability to manage affairs and confront challenges. He emphasized that the decision regarding the selection of the prime minister is a purely internal matter belonging to Iraq’s political groups and legal institutions, noting that it is natural for any country to seek to appoint a competent, efficient, and experienced individual to lead the executive authority. Al-e Sadeq also addressed the process of electing Iraq’s president and the disagreements among Kurdish parties regarding a joint candidate. He noted that Iran has always emphasized the need for dialogue and expressed hope that Kurdish political forces would reach a joint solution in the near future (Tasnim, January 31, 2026).

• Iranian Border Police commanders, headed by Ahmad-Ali Goudarzi, met in the border city of Badra in Wasit Province with Iraqi Border Police commanders, headed by Mohammed Abdul Wahab Sakr. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the activity of the joint security committees, strengthening border security monitoring mechanisms, and preventing illegal infiltration and smuggling (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting website, January 30, 2026).

Iran and the Yemeni Arena

• Social media and news websites in Yemen published a photograph of an IRGC officer documented in Houthi-controlled areas. The photograph shows an officer named Abu al-Fadl appearing during an official event organized by the Houthis in Hajjah Province in northwestern Yemen. The officer was seen shaking hands with senior Houthi officials. Reports indicated that Abu al-Fadl is part of a group of IRGC experts operating under the command of a senior Qods Force official in the Yemeni arena, Abdolreza Shahlai, and is engaged in intensive field activity in the provinces of Hajjah, Amran, and Saada. It was further reported that Hajjah Province has become a vital hub for these experts in supervising the Houthis’ technological and military capabilities (Al-Mashhad al-Yamani, January 31, 2026).

The Houthis in Yemen

• On January 31, 2026, the Houthi Foreign Ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the “continued perpetration of genocide crimes by the enemy entity against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.” The ministry claimed that the “Zionist aggression” constitutes a dangerous escalation that undermines efforts to achieve a ceasefire, has severe implications for regional security and stability, and exacerbates the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation suffered by the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. The ministry called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to fulfill its legal and humanitarian responsibilities and take immediate action to halt the “Zionist aggression.” It also called on Arab and Islamic countries to fulfill their obligations toward the Palestinian people and take measures to compel Israel to end its aggression and lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the statement emphasized that the United States is a central partner of Israel “in its crimes and ongoing aggression” and bears full responsibility for crimes against humanity committed against the Palestinian people (Houthi Foreign Ministry Telegram channel, January 31, 2026).
• Hezam al-Asad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, said in an interview with the Hamas-affiliated newspaper Al-Risala that continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip would lead to a “large-scale regional explosion” and return the area to a more dangerous situation than it was before. He claimed that the Yemeni people are ready to defend Gaza again and in the event of an escalation, Yemen will return to fighting with improved capabilities than before. In addition, al-Asad said that the United States bears “primary responsibility for the crimes of aggression” during the ceasefire and that it gives Israel a “green light” to continue its violations. Al-Asad also argued that the “axis of resistance” had proven its unity and coherence despite many challenges from Gaza, Sana’a, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran. In his view, this unity created pressure that “confused the Zionist entity” and prevented it from imposing its conditions (Al-Risala, January 31, 2026).

The Pro-Iranian Militias in Iraq

• Akram al-Kaabi, secretary-general of Harakat al-Nujaba, issued a statement attacking “foreign interference” in Iraq and claiming that numerous actors are attempting to undermine Iraqi sovereignty. He stated that many reports indicate that American forces are evacuating bases in Iraq, although without official confirmation, and expressed doubt regarding the credibility of these reports. Regarding tensions between the United States and Iran, he stated that “the Iraqi people, together with the noble and zealous tribes, will not stand idly by in the face of their friends who stood by them in their distress and shed blood on their soil in the war against terrorism and heresy.” He emphasized that “any American-Zionist military attack against Iran means that all of West Asia will boil under your soldiers and bases. Therefore, prepare your graves. Because if the campaign begins, those who start it will not end it; rather, revenge will pass from generation to generation and will expand until it reaches your countries and homes, and no one will escape it” (Harakat al-Nujaba Telegram channel, January 28, 2026).
• Kata’ib Hezbollah announced on January 28, 2026, that American interference in Iraq is part of a series of interventions intended to impose American control over Iraq’s political decision-making process. Although the statement did not specify the nature of the interference, it apparently referred to American opposition to the appointment of Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, in line with the wishes of many pro-Iranian militias in the country. The statement added that if American interference is not met with resistance, Iraq will be pushed toward a path of “submission and domination by the American occupier” (Kata’ib Hezbollah Telegram channel, January 31, 2026).
• Saraya Awliya al-Dam, considered a front militia with links to Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, published a video allegedly documenting an underground site where its operatives transport missiles, alongside images of senior figures in the “resistance axis” over the years (Saraya Awliya al-Dam Telegram channel, January 31, 2026). The organization had previously declared, on January 16, 2026, its readiness to operate alongside Iran in the event of an attack against it.
• It was reported that Iraqi security forces forcibly evacuated the pro-Iranian militia Saraya al-Jihad wa al-Bina from a base described as a “major headquarters” south of Baghdad following a judicial decision and instructions from state authorities. According to the report, militia forces did not cooperate with the order and were forcibly removed from the base (Shafaq News, January 31, 2026).

Militias in Syria

The Resistance Front in Syria – Possessors of Might (Uli al-Baas, or UAB),^[2] which operates in southern Syria and opposes the Israeli presence in the region, issued a statement in Hebrew. The statement reads: “We called ourselves ‘the Resistance’ because we did not surrender, and we called it ‘Islamic’ because the true religion does not compromise on the land and does not justify betrayal. And we said ‘Syria’ because this land is not for sale, not for partition, and not for Judaization. The mighty are the wings of the Temple Mount, the chosen ones who herald the end of the occupying entity, those who stand by the truth at a time when falsehood has become the norm.” The statement was originally written in Arabic and appears to have been only partially and inaccurately translated into Hebrew. It was accompanied by a video, largely AI-generated, showing soldiers preparing for action and ending with an image of a man, woman, and child in military uniform waving the former Syrian flag and trampling on an Israeli flag (Islamic Resistance Front in Syria Telegram channel, February 1, 2026).

^[1] The weekly study includes the activities of Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen.
^[2] For further information on the organization, see the ITIC’s study from September 1, 2025, “Is South Syria a Terrorist Threat to Israel? The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria, a Test Case”

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