From Exporting Militias to Importing Them: Why Is Tehran Calling Its Agents Into the Country?

For decades, this scene was unfamiliar—the system that built much of its regional influence by establishing and supporting armed militias beyond its borders now finds itself facing reports of Iraqi fighters loyal to it entering Iran.

If this trend expands, it reflects a significant shift in how security is managed within the Islamic Republic.

Over recent weeks, CNN reported, citing an European source and an Iraqi security official, on the entry of Iraqi fighters into Iran amid war and ongoing security tensions in the country.

It also quoted a senior figure from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) admitting to the presence of Iraqis inside Iran, noting their movement occurred "individually and for ideological reasons," not as a formal decision by the PMF leadership.

In a similar vein, the website Iran International published multiple reports backed by video clips showing individuals believed to be from the PMF in the city of Ahvaz in southwestern Iran—providing visual evidence of these forces operating within the country, despite the absence of any official confirmation.

Reports spoke of hundreds of fighters from Iran-aligned Iraqi factions arriving in Iranian provinces such as Ahvaz and Abadan, followed later by testimonies from local residents describing the spread of armed Iraqi fighters in certain cities, the establishment of checkpoints, their proximity to security installations, and allegations of abuses against civilians.

The Agents… Inside Iran

For years, Iran-aligned Iraqi factions have been associated with executing Iran’s so-called "Resistance Axis" strategy, whether in Iraq, Syria, or other spheres of Iranian influence.

But recent reports raise a different question: Has Iran begun leveraging the network it built abroad to strengthen its domestic security?

The U.S. Institute for War Studies argues that Iraqi factions have become an essential part of the regional security architecture Iran has developed over the past two decades—not merely tools operating outside its borders, but forces that can be mobilized whenever needed, including deep within Iranian territory under exceptional circumstances.

According to analysts, this isn’t about Iran needing more fighters—the Revolutionary Guard, Basij, and regular army already possess large numbers—but rather about capitalizing on formations that have accumulated extensive field experience and could play supportive roles during emergencies.

Legal and Security Debate

This issue has also sparked legal debate among Iranian opposition circles. The rights group Dadbān stated that the presence of any foreign military units inside Iran raises concerns under Article 146 of the Iranian Constitution, which prohibits any foreign military presence within the country—even for non-combat purposes.

Despite the lack of official data confirming the scale or nature of this presence, the widespread discussion reflects the extent of the security pressures Tehran faces, both domestically and amid regional escalation.

Beyond the Numbers

Media reports from Iranian opposition outlets suggest the number of Iraqi fighters inside Iran exceeds 800 from the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Yet the significance of the issue lies less in the number of personnel than in the direction it signals.

If Iran spent decades exporting influence and building militias beyond its borders, current information about fighters from these groups entering Iran points to a notable transformation in the nature of Tehran’s relationship with its proxies.

Perhaps the most pressing question today is not how many fighters have entered Iran, but whether the Islamic Republic has finally begun using the network it established abroad to bolster its internal security—after decades of employing it solely to expand its influence overseas.