Khamenei Denies Having or Needing Regional Proxy Forces

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected claims that militant groups in the region act as Tehran’s proxies, stating that if Iran needed to take action, it would not rely on them. His comments came amid significant losses for Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, both of which faced defeats in their ongoing conflicts with Israel. Additionally, the fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, a key ally in Iran’s so-called axis of resistance, added to the regional shifts.

Khamenei insisted that groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels are motivated by their own beliefs, not by Iran’s influence. He emphasized that these groups fight because of their faith, not as part of a proxy network for Tehran. Khamenei further dismissed American claims that Iran had lost control over its regional proxies, asserting that Iran would not need proxy forces if it chose to take action.

The collapse of Assad’s regime earlier this month marked a significant shift in the regional balance, as Assad had long been a key partner for Iran, especially in supporting Hezbollah. Khamenei expressed confidence that Syria would soon see the rise of a strong, independent group of fighters, predicting that Syria’s youth, who have nothing to lose, would form this group. He also accused the United States of attempting to destabilize Iran, promising that the Iranian people would reject any foreign influence or attempts to interfere with their sovereignty.