Recruitment: Shi’a Brigades in Syria

<p>This chapter explores the extent to which Iran’s soft power strategies in both Afghanistan and Pakistan have enabled Tehran to recruit Shi’as of/from both countries. In terms of hard power dynamics, Iran’s recruitment of Shi’as from Afghanistan and Pakistan does not qualify the standard definition that focuses on for example the use of economic coercion and military power to influence the behaviour in other political bodies or countries. As there was no role of Kabul and Islamabad in the recruitment managed by Iran’s IRCG, this aspect cannot be labelled as Iran’s hard power. Iran’s ability to however recruit Shi’as from both countries provides enough evidence to suggest that it can benefit from its soft power in Afghanistan and Pakistan for military gains. While most Afghan combatants, mainly Hazara refugees, were lured through the promises of permanent residency and financial benefits, this study found that most of the Pakistani participants embarked on their missions to protect sacred Shi’as shrines in Syria. Despite Iran’s influence on Shi’a groups in both countries, this study found no evidence to suggest that the local religious groups were involved in the recruitment process.</p>