This is Why Iran Recruits Female Members in Eastern Syria

Only about 4 years ago, the participation of women by Iran was not as large and organized as Lebanon on Syrian soil, specifically in the stronghold of Tehran's strategic ally Hezbollah.

However, when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard imposed its presence in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria in late 2017, it found itself in front of a 99 percent Sunni community, and it was not that easy to turn it into Shia, so it resorted to "soft penetration" to achieve this, playing on many societal factors, the most important of which are women.

 

Like Ants

Since the opening of the Iranian Cultural Center in the city of Deir ez-Zor in early 2018, Tehran has followed the “ants walk” plan to integrate in the community in eastern Syria, especially with regard to the project of Shiism, by supporting the people, in an attempt to attract the largest number of people.

However, what has begun to grow in eastern Syria is Iran’s search to co-opt women more in eastern Syria, and to move to the formation of a female force with specific tasks, in order to enhance its presence, there and serve its ideological thought.

On October 26, 2021, the local Al-Sharq News network revealed that the Batool Stars center of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Syria established the first women's combat battalion in Deir ez-Zor affiliated with the Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas al-Iraqi militia.

The Batool Stars is not a Syrian project, but rather is based on the Lebanese experience of Hezbollah, which was launched by the so-called Imam Mahdi Scouts association there in 2011.

The Abu al-Fadl militia is entrusted with many two-fold tasks by Tehran in Deir ez-Zor. The first is societal, linked to logistical organization, providing some services, or opening projects that support the Iranian presence.

The second is related to the supervision of securing and transferring short and medium-range weapons, ammunition and missiles coming from Iraq to Syria, and distributing them to Iranian militia points in the Syrian Badia, as well as storing them in fortified military points in the Deir ez-Zor countryside.

Iran has expanded in Deir ez-Zor province along its right bank of the Euphrates River after the expulsion of the Islamic State organization since November 2017, from the cities of Deir ez-Zor, Al-Mayadin, Al-Bukamal and the villages connecting them to the Iraqi border from the side of the Syrian Badia.

Since then, Iranian militias have established a number of Husseiniyat in Deir ez-Zor and converted mosques into religious Husseiniyat to teach the Shia sect and to pray for its followers.

Deir ez-Zor is strategically important for Iran, as it is the gateway to the Syrian-Iraqi border through the city of Al-Bukamal, which is the border crossing.

Currently, Al-Bukamal represents Tehran's major militia military center of gravity in Syria, with the aim of securing the land route that Tehran seeks to open to the Mediterranean.

 

Cultural Invasion

Tehran's interest was focused on the cultural invasion and the Shia conversion of the people of eastern Syria and working to put forward community programs led by the Iranian Cultural Center, in order to ensure the acceptance of its long-term military presence in the country in the future.

Civil activist in the eastern region, Manaf al-Abdullah, stressed that "Iran's attempt to activate the role of women in eastern Syria is not something new. Rather, it is an existing project that it seeks to promote with the aim of strengthening the principle of adherence to dress."

Al-Abdullah added to Al-Estiklal, explaining that "what is hidden is its attempt to pass on Shia opinions, ideas and beliefs through activities, events and celebrations that it holds in the cities and villages of the Levant line."

The activist pointed out that "Iran is currently focusing on establishing charitable projects to help the people and has formed relief committees to distribute aid almost regularly and has rehabilitated some public parks and opened free clinics to treat people and provide some medicines."

He added that it offered students scholarships in universities in Iran, and many of the children of its local militia leaders traveled to Tehran, especially from the al-Baqir Brigade.

Al-Abdullah pointed out that "the Iranian militias have deliberately exploited the social events related to the younger generation, such as offering monthly financial rewards to outstanding students in the preparatory and secondary levels and holding celebrations for students."

He stressed that "Iran aims to win the love of the people who suffer from a bleak economic situation, which made them easily fall into the Iranian trap, in the absence of any help from the regime, which left them helpless in the face of the Shia cultural tide."

Al-Abdullah stressed that "the Iranian militias have strengthened their relationship with civil society organizations and supported some of them in exchange for permanent recognition of Iran's achievements and its alleged war against terrorism, such as the Al-Nahda Association."

He explained that "the Al-Nahda Association receives direct support from the Iranian Jihad and Construction Organization operating in Deir ez-Zor and other provinces, by supporting orphans and widowed women, all with a future goal related to the project of Shiism in the region or the creation of a Shia generation that believes in their ideas."

 

Women's Battalions

Although cultural activity is one of Iran's most prominent cards for the demographic and sectarian change in Syria in general, there are certain groups of women that Tehran has been able to employ to work for it in order to "pass" the cultural invasion.

Maan al-Sharif, an analyst in Iranian affairs, confirmed that "Tehran, since late 2020, has entrusted the Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas militia with the task of secretly or publicly recruiting women into its ranks."

Al-Sharif said in an interview with Al-Estiklal that "the task of these women is to persuade women to attend Iranian cultural centers and take their children to learn skills and engage in entertaining activities. The women of Iranian militia leaders supervise these women and provide them with some support and instructions."

He pointed out that "the category of female employees in government departments affiliated with the regime is the most attracted to Iranian projects, based on the idea of ​​working with the so-called axis of resistance and at the same time gaining them additional authority within society."

It was noted that Iran relied, at the beginning of the work, on attracting the wives of local militia leaders, who are socially active and work in civil society projects.

According to a report published by the local Ein al-Furat Network, in early December 2020, the director of the Martyr Foundation in Deir ez-Zor called Manar al-Asaad recruited women for the Iranian militias to carry out the tasks of gathering information and tempting the youth of the city to recruit by whatever the cost is.

Al-Assaad is the wife of the commander of the National Defense militia in Deir ez-Zor, Firas Dhiab al-Jaham, nicknamed Firas al-Iraqiya, who entered the Shia sect after the Iranian militias took control of Deir ez-Zor.

Currently, al-Iraqiya is one of the most prominent figures who exploit the military and security influence in Deir ez-Zor governorate to expand his investments at the expense of civilians.

Ain al-Furat confirmed that the number of women affiliated with the Martyr Foundation, whose outward appearance is the distribution of humanitarian aid, whereas its aim is the dissemination of Iranian religious thought and recruitment, has reached about 50 women.

The network added that there is direct coordination between al-Assaad and the director of the Iranian Cultural Center in Deir Ezzor, Hajj Hussein, as the center's activities are divided between the religious cultural field and providing health, relief and educational support.

A study by the Hermon Center for Contemporary Studies which is based in Istanbul, issued on April 29, 2018, confirmed that Shia preachers in Syria invite people to attend celebrations in their centers, and the invitation includes men and women.

The study, which came under the title “The Institutions of Iranian Influence in Syria and the Methods of Shiism," showed that these institutions allocate large sections, especially for women in their centers.

Al-Sharif indicated that "Iran has currently women's battalions in the cities of Deir ez-Zor and Al-Mayadin, and they move freely and regularly, some of them wear military uniforms, and they have headquarters inside residential homes to hold meetings and hold periodic meetings with the Iranian Cultural Center."

According to al-Sharif, the Iranian Cultural Center in Deir ez-Zor is keeping a good eye on the educational sector in terms of sponsoring activities, holding parties for children, honoring teachers, and providing relief baskets to families after each event, in coordination with the women's battalions.

He concluded by saying that the most dangerous point, which has become apparent, is the influence of children on Shia thought due to the strength of Iranian propaganda and the large number of celebrations for children and the organization of Shia rituals."