THE IDENTITY REASONS

BEHIND IRAN’S MILITARY INTERVENTION

IN IRAQ’S CONFLICT AGAINST

ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND AL-SHAM (2014)

By: Arlita Widyastuti

Department of International Relations

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

arlitawidyastuti@rocketmail.com

Abstract

The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) rapid and shocking insurgency in

Iraq which already began since December 2013 has been successful to gain concern

from the international world. The interesting international politic phenomena happen

during the insurgency is that Iran, one of Iraq neighboring country, shows the actions of

military intervention by sending its two battalions of Quds force on 11th

June 2014 in

order to help Iraq fighting against ISIS. That phenomenon is the new development of

Iran foreign policy toward Iraq in 2014. It really interesting because of by seeing their

historical background, both of them shared mainly the enmities relations rather than

friendly relations. Moreover there is a fact stated that Iran was the country that actively

support and sponsored some of the terrorist, militant and jihadist group to chase away

United States of America during its occupation in Iraq.

This paper will analyze the reasons behind Iran’s military intervention in Iraq

that already mentioned before. It involves foreign policy concept as well as

constructivism theory as the tools to find that reasons. First, this paper will prove that

the reasons behind Iran’s military intervention in Iraq in the case of Iraq conflict against

ISIS is because of Iran and Iraq shares same identity bond as Shiite based country which

threaten by ISIS. Second it will also prove that Iran military intervention pushes by the

reasons of protection toward Iran and Iraq political alliance.

Keywords:

Foreign Policy, Military Intervention, Constructivism, Identity, Iran, Iraq, ISIS, Shiite,

Sunni, Wahabbism, Political Alliance

Introduction

This paper will elaborates the reasons Iran’s military intervention to help Iraq

fighting against ISIS by using constructivism theory. First, this study will prove that

Iran and Iraq shares bond as states that based on Shiite identity. Second, it then proves

that the identity which embodied inside ISIS is basically attacking the identity of Iran

and Iraq and third, it then concludes that the reasons behind Iran’s military intervention

is to protect Shiite identity that being attack by Iran

This paper also proves that the reason behind Iran’s intervention in Iraq’s

conflict against ISIS is because of Iran want to protect its Shiite political influence in

Iraq. This paper proves that by first analyzing the influence of Iran’s identity in its effort

to build political relations with Iraq since post-Saddam Era. Second, by analyzing how

Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) insurgency in Iraq possess possibility to

destruct the political relations between Iran and Iraq trough its identity and third it

concludes that the reason of Iran’s military intervention in Iraq conflict against ISIS is

because of identity interest to protect its Shiite political alliance with Iraq.

Constructivism Theory

This paper uses the theory of constructivism in order to find the reasons behind

Iran’s military intervention in Iraq case against Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

The constructivism theory established after the cold war era which mainly focused on

the importance of normative and material structures in the importance of the identity in

shaping the political behaviour (Reus-Smit, 2005).

There are three main ontological prepositions established by the constructivism.

First, constructivism believes that structure is able to shape the behaviour of social and

political actors both individual or states actors. In building the structure it is believed

that normative and ideational aspect is as important as material aspect. Normative and

ideational factors here mean that metaphysical aspects such as ideas, belief, value,

culture, and norms which embodied inside the actors. Constructivism believes that the

normative and ideational factors also have structural characteristic in which they are

able to influence the political and social actions. It believes that the material sources of

actors only have meaning because the actors have the structure of knowledge or

normative and ideational structures embodied inside the actors (Reus-Smit, 2005).

Therefore one kind of material source will have different meaning based on the actors

who acquire them, since every single actor has his/her own unique normative and

ideational structures.

Second, constructivism believe that the non-material structure mentioned before

is important to form the identities of the actors, and the identity is the crucial factor that

determined the interest of actors both individual and states actors, in consequence

interest will produce the actions. In taking the decision the actors will find a lot of

possible options and there is no exact pattern applied in all actors’ preference because of

their difference identity will create different outcomes. Constructivism believes that

understanding the reasons behind the interest creation is crucial to understand the

international phenomena. It tends to analyze the identity of the actors to generate the

reason behind their creation of interest.

The last ontological preposition is that constructivism believes that the

normative and ideational structures will be able to form the identities of the actors but it

will not exist without the use or practices of those structures in knowledgeable manner

(Reus-Smit, 2005). Identities shape the behaviour of the actors through three

mechanisms: imagination, communication, and constraint. Identity will form the actors

preference in deciding behaviour related to the phenomena that they face. Thus it

usually used by the actor to legitimate their action toward certain case.

Those three main ontological will match the best to understand why Iran do the

intervention in Iraq crisis’s against ISIS. This paper will try to prove that Iran’s military

intervention in 2014 Iraq’s conflict against Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is

based on Iran’s identity reasons. It sees military intervention of Iran as its form of its

political behaviour in reacting ISIS insurgency in Iraq. Therefore it will see argue that,

behind that military intervention there are identity reasons, as constructivism believe

that the identity of certain actor that consist of the values it’s believe will determine the

interest behind its political behaviour.

By implementing constructivism theory, this paper will prove that by analyzing

the relations between Iran’s identity, Iraq’s identity and also the Identity of Islamic

State of Iraq and al-Sham, and finally conclude that based on that relations Iran has

interest in Iraq that become the reasons why then Iran do the military intervention in

Iraq’s conflict against ISIS.

A. The Bound between Iran and Iraq Identity as Shiite Country

1. Iran’s Identity as Shiite Based Country

The first ontological of constructivism stated that one structure will be able to

reshape the behavior of certain actor (Individual or States actor). Constructivist

particularly, believe that in the creation of structure, the normative and ideational

aspects are very important, it is different from common international relations theories

that mostly believe that the behavior of certain actor will be determined by its material

aspects. One of the normative and ideational aspects mentioned before is value in which

specifically important in the creation of Identities of certain actor (Reus-Smit, 2005).

Iran is one of the states that historically through a process in such way to make it

embodies the value of Shiite Muslim. Iran in the past before it becomes independent

state like today had been occupied by the Savafids Empire. Savafids occupied Iran (at

that time called as Persia) for 234-year, started from 1501 to 1736 (Ghasemi). Savafids

dynasty is the dynasty that particularly runs based on Shiite Muslim. As it occupied

Iran, it made sure that Iran would be also run based on Shiite values, even though the

majority of Iran citizen were Sunni Muslim. The fact noted that the Savafids dynasty

planted the Shiite value by force trough military power (Ghasemi). The encyclopedia of

Iranica says:

It might indeed be argued that the rise to power of the Savafids constituted another

Turkic invasion of Persia………The ultimate result was, however, the formation of a

distinctively Persian state dedicated to the propagation of Shi’ism………. It was,

however, nothing less than a reign of terror that inaugurated the new dispensation. On

capturing Tabriz in 907/1501, a city two-thirds Sunnite in population, Shah Esma’il

threatened with death all who might resist the adoption of Shi’ite prayer ritual in the

main congregational mosque, and he had Qezelbas soldiers patrol the congregation to

ensure that none raise his voice against the cursing of the first three caliphs, viewed as

enemies of the Prophet’s family. In Tabriz and elsewhere, gangs of professional

execrators known as the tabarra’an would accost the townsfolk at random, forcing them

to curse the objectionable personages on pain of death. Selective killings of prominent

Sunnites occurred in a large number of places, notably Qazvin and Isfahan, and in

Shiraz and Yazd, outright massacres took place. Sunnite mosques were desecrated, and

the tombs of eminent Sunnite scholars destroyed (Son of Sunnah, 2011)

The statement above proved that Savafids dynasty had changed Iran from Sunni based

to Shiite based through the use of violence. It threaten the society with death sentenced

if they did not follow the Shiite ritual and raise voice against cursing three caliph after

Prophet Muhammad: Abu Bakr, Uman and Uthman (Son of Sunnah, 2011). It is

important to know that the enmities between Sunni Muslim and Shiite Muslim started

since the death of Prophet Muhammad because there was difference in the decision

process to choose the next caliph after Prophet Muhammad. Sunni followers are those

who believe in Abu Bakr, the father in-law of Prophet Muhammad, while Shiite

believes the successor of Prophet Muhammad is Ali Ibn Abi Thalib.

The important figure in the Savafids era that had strong role in changing Iran,

region which had Sunni as its majority into Shiite based region was Isma’il Shah. When

he came into power in Iran in 1501, he declared himself as the manifestation of God, the

divine fire of the hidden imam, and the mahdi (Lapidus, 2002). As he shared family line

with seventh imam, his authority was absolute and unquestionable (Lapidus, 2002).

He was planted the seeds of Shiite in Iran through several ways. First imported

some expert of Shiite from several countries such as Bahrain, Syria, northeastern

Arabia, and Iraq to be his interpretation of “twelve” Shi’ism (Lapidus, 2002). Second,

the Savafids dynasty through the sadr also managed the ulama into state-control

bureaucracy which implemented the ritual of cursing of the first three caliphs, appointed

judges as well as teachers (Lapidus, 2002). Moreover, Safavid dynasty also infiltrated

the Shiite into Iran through violence way such as executed religious enthusiasts who did

not willing to obey the dynasty and highly violated the tomb or shrines of Sunni

scholars (Lapidus, 2002).

The infiltration of Shiite value done by Savafids dynasty in the period before

Iran is independence is one of the strong processes that influenced the creation of

modern Iran which until today still strongly run as Islamic republic which based on

Shiite Muslim. The formal structure of modern state of Iran that was based on Shiite

Muslim started since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Iranian Revolution actually started

in 1977 when society finally felt that the leadership of Shah Reza Pahlevi violated their

right and began to fight for their freedom (Zayar). From uprising to ask the freedom the

Revolution transform into the religious revolution because of the role of Ayatullah

Ruhollah Khomeini. Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini is a strong figure in the Shiite

legacy. He was received his theocracy knowledge from Qumm which known as the

centre of the Shiite studies in Iran (Fuller, 2003). He had been actively rejected Shah

Reza Pahlevi’s idea on establishing secular Iran. He believes that Iran must be an

Islamic state and what Shah did was considered by Khomeini as the betrayal toward

Iran’s Muslim society. As the society at that time also put Shah as public enemy the

clash between Shiite and Sunni forgotten and they struggled hand in hand to overthrow

Shah and they finally succeeded to overthrow Shah in 1979.

The intention of the revolution first started with non-religious purpose, on how

the society want the Shah Reza Pahlevi down from his leadership because of the society

feel that the welfare not distributed well and the welfare only centralize in the Shah’s

family. Apparently the charisma of Ayatulloh Khomeini able to transform the

revolution which began as the coalition to overthrow Shah Reza Pahlevi into Islamic

Revolution which based on Shiite Muslim (Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, & Schulze, 2004).

During that revolution, Ayatulloh Khomeini is an important actor as he was the

one who strengthen the value of Shiite inside the structure of modern Iran by applying

the principle of Shiite along side with his struggle to overthrow the Shah. In the period

of revolution from 1977-1979, he had implemented Shiite tradition in his action such as

calling for the involvement of Shiite clerics in the political struggle to over throw Shah

by stating that the tradition of mourning and suffering for the death of al-Husain

(grandson of Prophet Muhammad) replaced by the necessity of sacrificial death in the

fight against Shah (Fuller, 2003). As the consequence when the revolution succeeded in

1979, Ayatulloh Khomeini became the person who has highest authority to be the next

Iran’s ruler and Shiite has strong position in Iran’s politics.

Khomeini then declared Iran as Islamic Republic of Iran on 1st April 1979, the

state that based on theocracy of Shiite Islam or the government of God. He established

the Islamic form of government called as ve-layat-e-faqih (rulling of the jurist) that

consisted of Shiite clerics (Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, & Schulze, 2004). He

implemented Islamic law with Shiite interpretation and spread his influence trough his

fatwa. He also does Cultural Revolution, the wave of “Islamization”, in 1980.

Until today, in the hand of President Rouhani, Iran still strongly runs as Shiite

country. The fact stated that Rouhani himself is the follower of Khomeini during the

Iranian Revolution in 1979; he is also Shiite clerics with the title of Hojatoleslam which

is the middle rank in the religious hierarchy (Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, & Schulze,

2004). Iran until today also still runs based on the constitution of 1979 established by

Khomeini (Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, & Schulze, 2004). It proved that Iran today is still

the state that runs based on basic Shiite principles of Khomeini moreover based on its

historical process Shiite has long period influence in Iran since the era of Savafids until

the era of Rouhani.

The infiltration of Shiite Islamic value since the Savafids Empire and Iranian

revolution initiated by Khomeini was the period when the value of Shiite Muslim

institutionalized in Iran. The value of Shiite has been institutionalized trough the force

of the Savafids Empire and also the political movement of Khomeini that already

explained before. Then, the value of Shiite inside the structure of the government

establish at the same time when the Islamic Republic of Iran establish. Those processes

make Iran as a state that based on the Shiite Identity.

The creation of Iran identity explained before was in accordance with the

explanation of constructivism in the idea of normative and ideational aspect such as

value, culture, tradition in this case are the value, culture and traditions of Shiite Muslim

in Iran which is brought by important actor was successful to form Shiite Islam as

identity in Iran.

The Shiite value that embodied in Iran’s identity is the important aspect of

decision making in Iran. For example the motive behind the revolution of Iran initiated

by Khomeini in 1979 was strongly pushed by the reason of Shiite identity to end the

phase of secularization done by Shah Reza and try to shape it to the direction of Islamic

State. The enmities of Iran and Iraq happen also because of Identity reason.

In 1979 the Baa’th regime came into power in Iraq, and signs the rise of Sunni’s

power over the majority of Shiite in Iraq. Particularly in the hand of Saddam Hussein,

Iraq does suppression toward the majority of Shiite Muslim by acknowledged them as

underclass. Moreover, in the hand of Saddam Hussein and his Ba’ath regime, the

government of Iraq was suppressed any cultural linkage between Iraq (Cordesman &

Khazai, 2014). It even offer financial incentive for the Iraq people who willing to

divorce their spouses if they had Persian ancestry (Cordesman & Khazai, 2014). As

consequences, when Iraq showed its intention to have friendly relations with Iran after

the Iranian revolution by praising the success of the revolution, it did not get friendly

respond from Iran.

Khomeini kept on supporting and calling the Shiite society of Iraq to do

revolution as what Iran did and clearly set up enemy line with Iraq since then. Iran in

the hand of Khomeini at that time saw Iraq as the country that ungodly since it

suppressed Shiite Islam as the religion branch that Khomeini live with. Iran in 1980 was

known for supporting Shiite militant to kill twenty of Ba’ath officials and responded by

Iraq with the assassination of Shiite important figure in Iraq, Ayatollah Mohammad

Baqir and his sister Amina Haydar. Finally, in 1980 the war between them happened

and ended in 1988. It proved that before there was a war between Iran and Iraq in 1980-

1988 in which the basic foundation of their rivalry was the identity of both state that

clashed each other, Iran with its Shiite and Iraq with the Sunni’s power.

2. The Reaction of Iran-Iraq Identity Bond as Shiite Country

The change of Iran’s direction of relations with Iraq from enemy to be friend

happened after the downfall of Saddam Hussein. The change basically happened

because of identity reason also. The fell down of Saddam then triggered the fell down of

Sunni power in Iraq. As Saddam fell down it became turning point for Shiite power in

Iraq, as it started to gain political power after long term suppression from Ottoman

period until the Ba’ath period. After the downfall of Saddam in 2003, the United States

of America led-coalition choose 25 personal to be Iraq Governing council member

which consist of 15 Shiite Muslim, 5 Sunni Muslim, 5 Kurds, 1 Christian and 1

Turkmen, that fact is the proved of the emerging Shiite power in the government of Iraq

after Saddam Hussein (Global Security Organization).

As the identity of Iraq change from Sunni central power into the Shiite central

power, Iran’s bond with Iraq as the fellow Shiite states started to formulate. With the

Shiite domination government in Iraq the bond of Shiite value between Iran and Iraq

also developed. It is noted that since the downfall of Saddam Hussein the flowing of

Iranian from Iran to Iraq was increased significantly. The reason for Iranian visited Iraq

at that time is mainly because they finally were able to visit Shiite holy places in Iraq.

Starting from that moment it noted that the cultural exchange of Iran and Iraq become

intensified.

For Iran and Shiite followers in the world, Iraq is considered as highly sacred

and holy country due to the fact Iraq known as the place where the Imam Ali moved and

made the city of Kufa his capital (Almodarresi, 2003). It is important to note that Imam

Ali is someone that Shiite followers believe as the first Prophet Muhammad’s successor.

Along with his moving to Kufa, many of his followers also followed him to move and

make Kufa as the city that has two millions Shiite populations (Almodarresi, 2003).

Imam Ali known was assassinated in Kufa, and was buried in nearby city of Najaf

(Almodarresi, 2003). As consequences, the shrines of Imam Ali become the highest

holy places for Shiite Muslim, and it is locates in Iraq. Moreover, Iraq also the country

that becomes the resting place for the other top Shiite leaders as well as the central study

of Shiite Islam.

The shaping of Iran and Iraq relations that already explained before is happened

because there is a change of identity from Sunni to Shiite domination in Iraq that finally

supported the establishment of friendship relations with Iran. According to the

constructivist ontological, the behavior of certain actor is really influenced by its

identity, and that happened in the case of the creation of friendship relations between

Iran and Iraq. They have indeed a long history of rivalry but with the change of Identity

of Iraq triggered by the downfall of Saddam Hussein, Iran and Iraq finally has a friendly

bond as country that based on Shiite identity.

3. Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) attack on Shiite

The Shiite identity embodied both in Iran and Iraq recently being challenge by

the emergence of Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) that already started since

December 2013 but it comes into intention of International awareness since 10th

June

2014 as it maintained rapid takeover of Iraq’s second biggest city, Mosul. ISIS’s

identity naturally brings the value that clash and threatens the identity of both Iraq and

Iran as Shiite Islam.

In contrast to the value of Shiite that construct the identity of Iran and Iraq, the

value that embodied inside the ISIS organization is Sunni Islam value in which the

opposite of Shiite value. ISIS is fundamentalist Sunni Jihadist organization that work

using terror and open fight against the government of Iraq. The value of Sunni inside

ISIS already inherited from its founding father, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Sunni

fundamentalist who is originally a Jordanian. ISIS’s ultimate goal reflects its identity as

Sunni fundamentalist as it want to establish Islamic caliphate based on Sunni in Iraq and

area categorized as al-Sham (mainly consist of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine and

even Southern of Turkey), it also clear that ISIS embodied the value of Sunni Muslim

(Lynos & El-naggar, 2014).

In its operations inside Iraq, Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) specifically

has known for doing massive killing of Iraq Shiite Muslim and also beheading some

foreign citizen mainly from the United States of America, Britain and Israel. It also

targeting to destruct the Shiite Islamic shrines such us destructed Prophet Yunus shrine

and tomb in Mosul, destroyed mosque of Imam Yahya Abu al-Qassim and also

demolished the shrines of Al-Khidr (Al-Alawi, 2014). Besides killing the Shiite and

Western citizen in their action ISIS also even killed Sunni Muslim who does not

supporting ISIS operations. In October 2013 ISIS did massacre of the member of Sunni

Albu Nimr tribe in west of Ramadi, at least 150 men had been killed (Al Arabiya News,

2014).

ISIS forms of operation today reflect the Wahhabism. ISIS circulated the images

of Wahhabi textbook in schools it controls, in video uploaded by the group shows the

Wahhabi text attached on the sides of an official missionary van (Kirkpatrick, 2014).

The brutal massacre done by ISIS in the past also done by Wahhabi as he wrote "Those

who would not conform to this view should be killed, their wives and daughters

violated, and their possessions confiscated” (Crooke, 2014). Wahhabism basically

brought the spirit of theological reform in Islam. Particularly it openly declared war

against Shi’ism, Sufism and Greek Philosophy (Crooke, 2014).

The leader of Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) today, Baghdadi,

generally adapted two elements of Wahhabi. First he call upon the political action to

reject foreign domination of the Arab world in which also can be found as characteristic

of other 20th

century Islamist movement such as Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda

(Kirkpatrick, 2014). Second, he takes the idea of Wahhabi that promotes restoration of

caliphate as ISIS always stated that they do their insurgency in order to establish Sunni

Caliphate in the areas that they controlled (Kirkpatrick, 2014). Therefore the ISIS

strongly embodied the identity of Sunni fundamentalist that strongly influence by

Wahabbism.

4. Iran’s Protection toward Shiite Identity

The implementation of ISIS identity as Sunni wahabbism inside the insurgency

they do in Iraq plays important role as a constrain that constructivism believe it is the

precondition to shape the behavior of the actor in this case is Iran. Iran decision in 12th

June 2014 to send its special troops called as Quds forces became the starting point of

its military intervention in Iraq in the case of Iraq conflict against ISIS. It is decided

because of ISIS’s operations in Iraq which openly destructs the symbol of Shiite identity

such as holy shrines of Shiite and targeting holy places such as Najaf, Karbala and

Samarra and majorly kills Shiite Iraq, constrain Iran to do an action to protect those

holy shrines and stop the massive killing of Shiite Muslim in Iraq. The bond as Shiite

country between Iran and Iraq make Iran see Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) as

not only enemy of Iraq but also its own enemy that openly attacking both Iran and Iraq

identity as Shiite country. The sacred and holy places that continuously being targeted

by ISIS is equal to the violation toward Iran’s identity as Shiite country as Iran also sees

those places as its sacred and holy places.

Therefore the strong reason why Iran helps Iraq trough military intervention to

fight against ISIS is because of Iran’s identity as Shiite country. That reason can be

clearly seen from the statement that stated by president Rouhani regarding Iran’s stance

toward the ISIS attack upon Iraq, in 17th

June 2014 he stated that “Regarding the holy

Shiite shrines in Karbala, Najaf, Kadhimiya and Samara, we announced to the killers

and terrorists that the big Iranian nation will not hesitate to protect holy shrines”

(Donaghi, 2014).

The other statement from President Rouhani that also clearly reflected its

intention to help Iraq because of Identity reasons found in his interview with NBC that

taking place on September 18th

2014, he stated that: “When we say the red line we mean

the red line. It means we will not allow Baghdad to be occupied by the terrorists or the

religious sites such as Karbala or Najaf be occupied by the terrorists” (United States

Institute of Peace The Iran Primer, 2014). That statement shows clear indication that

Iran helps Iraq in the aspect of protection toward the sacred symbol of Shiite identity in

Iraq.The important statement as the further statement of above statement was delivered

by Iranian Interior Minister, Abdol Reza Rahmani Fazli, he stated that:

One day they brought news that there is a possibility that Karbala and Najaf would fall.

At that session, the president said that this is our red line and if something like this

happens there will be no limit to our operations. We had a timely presence, and there

were days we were worried about the fall of pilgrimage cities (United States Institute of

Peace The Iran Primer, 2014).

From those above statements, it clearly shows that Iran’s decision to help Iraq in

fighting ISIS has grand reason based on the Shiite identity embodied in Iran as a State.

It also shows that the identity of Iran as Shiite country influenced by its decision to help

Iraq. As what constructivism stated that the identity will determine how certain actors

behave and use their material aspect.

The other fact that able to prove that Iran’s identity as the Shiite country is the

reasons behind its military intervention in Iraq in the case of ISIS can be found also in

the form of operation of Quds Force, the special force of Iran. In doing its operations

Quds force has been known as the special force of Iran which expert in the clandestine

operations to fuel Shiite Revolution in Iraq (Smith, 2007). While in its current operation

they still work in the base of Shiite identity which is helps Iraq to train, organize and

coordinate Shiite force as well as politically strengthen support Shiite militants for the

Iraqi government (Smith, 2007). Moreover the approximately 2000 advances troops

spread to join battle in crucial city such as Ramadi, Mosul, Anbar, Tikrit and the most

important thing the troops mainly concentrates in the holy areas such as Najaf, Karbala

and Samarra as well as Baghdad (Chulov, Iran Sends Troops into Iraq to Aid Fight

against ISIS Militants, 2014).

The form of operations of Quds Force is clearly proved that Iran’s identity as

Shiite country implemented in the body of its special forces. As what constructivism

stated that the identity will not formed if it is not accompanied by the practices of that

structures. What Quds Force does in Iraq currently is a clear prove of Iran exercising

their value of Shiite identity in its military structures. What Quds force did reflected that

the reasons behind its deployment is because of Iran’s identity as Shiite country that feel

violated by the destruction over Shiite identity cause by ISIS insurgency.

B. Protection toward Iran’s Shiite Political Influence in Iraq

The other aspect that become the strong reason why Iran help Iraq by military

intervention in the Iraq’s conflict against Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is that

because since post-Saddam power in Iraq, Iran has strong Shiite political Influence in

Iraq. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has been one of Iran’s foreign policy

priorities. With the downfall of Saddam Hussein there was big chance to shape Iraq’s

identity to be pro-Iran.

1. The Creation of Iran-Iraq Shiite Political Alliance

The foreign policy of Iran at post-Saddam period was focused on the goal to

make Iraq as its political ally. In Iran’s effort to make Iraq as its political ally, it shows

clearly that Iran exercising strategy of sectarian politic inside Iraq. In order to achieve

that goal Iran was actively involved to influence Iraqi politics trough cooperation with

Shiite and Kurdish in order to change Iraq from Sunni based government to the Shiite

dominated government (Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011).

It is important to know that in the Iraq political nuance, Iran has strong influence

in some of the Shiite group and actors. The strong Shiite actors in Iraq that have strong

Iranian influence are (Fuller, 2003):

1. The famous Shiite clerics Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who also Iranian original but

spend most of his life in the city of Najaf. He did not actively rejected Saddam

trough political involvement but he implemented the strategy of Quiteism.

Quitesim is a conscious that based on the cleric’s need to distance his self from

the political and active only as observer and creates critics of politic and social

events.

2. Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq which led by Ayatollah

Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim who get backed by Iran in creation of his Shiite

militias called as Badr Brigade. He also had known from his close association

with Iran as he gave his support to Iran during the Iran-Iraq eight-year war.

3. The Dawa Party, the oldest Shiite movement in Iraq that had known as one of

supporter of Iran’s revolution in 1979.

One of Iran’s efforts to influence Iraq political to be pro-Iranian is that Iran

actively encouraged Supreme Council of Iraq with its Badr forces and the Dawa Party to

be more active inside Iraq’s politics and help Iran to shape Iraq’s government institution

to be more pro-Shiite institution (Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011). With the

involvement of those important Shiite structures inside Iraq, Iran tried to make society

of Iraq as its target of political influence (Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011). In more

practical way, in order to shape Iraq to become its strong political ally, Iran actively try

to influence the outcome of important elections after the downfall of Saddam Hussein,

such as Iraqi parliamentary election in 2005 and 2010.

In 2005, Ibrahim al-Jaafari become the prime minister of Iraq and before

succeeded to be Iraq’s prime minister he was spokesman of Islamic Dawa Party. As

mentioned before, the Dawa Party is the party that got high support from Iran to be

actively involved in Iraq’s politics and the Dawa Party also known as party inside Iraq

that highly supported Iran’s revolution in 1979 (Sahimi, 2013). In 2005 Iraqi

parliamentary election, Ibrahim al-Jaafari was the leader of the United Iraq Alliance

(UIA), a coalition that consist of several important Shiite party an organization such as

Dawa Party, Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Badr Organization,

Sadrist, Islamic Fadhila Party and some other small Shiite parties (Eisenstadt, Knights,

& Ali, 2011). Seeing from the member of UIA, the majority of it member were the

Shiite Party and Organization that supported by Iran, therefore UIA itself enjoyed

support from Iran.

At that time United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) won the majority vote in the elections

and become the actor that had strong power to shape Iraqi political nuance. In its

administration time in Iraqi government, it noted that in making decision UIA shows the

effort to balancing its interest and Iran’s interest (Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011). The

clear fact that Iran exercising its influence over Iraqi political trough UIA is that UIA

created the timetable for United States of America military withdrawal based on the Iran

demand (Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011).

In 2010 Iraqi parliamentary election, the block led by Ayad Allawi won majority

seats in the parliamentary, but surprisingly it was not Allawi who became the prime

minister. Instead of Allawi, Nouri al-Maliki became the new Prime Minister of Iraq in

2010, and that result came out due to the Iran pressure. The result of election that made

Nouri al-Maliki as the Prime minister of Iraq in December 2010 has known as the effort

of Iran to unify its Shiite political ally (Israel News, 2014). The fact shows that to

prevent Ayad Allawi to form a new government of Iraq at that time Iran invited Nouri

al-Maliki’s Party, State Law Alliance (SLA) and also United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) to

have a meeting with Iran to create one single coalition called as National Alliance

(Eisenstadt, Knights, & Ali, 2011). Through that coalition Nouri al-Maliki finally was

able to become prime minister until August 2014 period.

Based on the effort done by Iran to strengthen its political bond with Iraq since

the post United States of America invasion in Iraq in 2003 that already explained

before, it is clear that Iran’s foreign policy’s intention toward Iraq was highly colored

by the Shiite sectarian strategy. In the hand of Saddam Hussein who was the

representative of Baath party, Iraq ideologically was strategic enemy of Iran. Therefore

Iran’s foreign policy at that time was focused on how to prevent Iraq from gaining

power that would be able to create threat toward Iran as like what happen in First

Persian Gulf War.

To achieve that intension Iran’s attempted to establish friendly relations with

Iraq by enhancing Shiite-dominated government in Iraq. When Iraq’s identity changes

into Shiite based country it will make Iraq become ally of Iran as its share same identity

with Iran. That effort proved to be successful to increase Iran’s Shiite political tied and

succeeded to make Iraq as its strong ally.

Seeing from the characteristic of Iran’s foreign policy in its effort to make Iraq

as its strategic ally, Iran was highly influenced by its identity as Shiite state. The foreign

policy strategy that implemented by Iran to increase its political influence in Iraq after

Saddam Hussein power was in line with the idea of constructivism. Constructivism

believes that the behavior of certain actor will highly determine by its identity, therefore

when particular actor’s identity changed, it will be followed by the change of its

behavior. In this case, Iran foreign policy strategy was focused on how to change Iraq

political nuance from Sunni based government to Shiite based government and therefore

Iraq’s behavior toward Iran will also change from enemy to be ally and guarantee that

past bad memory of eight year war between Iran and Iraq will never happen again.

2. Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) Threat toward Iran-Iraq

Shiite Political Alliance

The shocking and rapid insurgency done by Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham

(ISIS) to occupy some strategic territories of Iraq and also tries to achieve its goal to

establish Islamic State based on their ideology which is Sunni fundamentalist in Iraq is

a clear threat toward Iran’s Shiite political influence in Iraq. The threat clearly shows

from the ISIS main goal to change Iraq to be Islamic State that based on Sunni Islam.

Seeing its goal from constructivism perspective, it clearly shows the indication of effort

to change the identity of Iraq, and then the identity change will be follow by the change

of behavior. ISIS identity is strongly affiliated with the Wahhabism, the branch of Sunni

Islam that strongly declares war against Shiite. If finally Iraq falls into ISIS power,

indeed Iraq will no longer become the political ally for Iran because its identity will

change from pro-Iran identity which is Shiite based country to be fundamental Sunni

state country that strongly opposes Shiite identity.

Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) will do any effort to change Iraq’s

identity to be based on Sunni fundamentalist ideology. It will eliminate all Shiite

influence inside Iraqi political nuance, because according to them Shiite is a deviation

toward Islamic value that needs to be eliminate. In ISIS 2014 insurgency in Iraq, it

already shows its intention to strengthen its identity’s influence to Sunni Muslim of

Iraq. ISIS insurgency that mainly targeting Shiite government in Iraq makes Sunni

Muslim in Iraq sees them as a group that will liberate them from Shiite government

suppression.

The Iraqi government that highly Shiite based has engaged in the action of

suppressing Sunni Muslim of Iraq. Iraqi government actively suppress Sunnis trough in

serial actions such as beating, imprisoning, and arresting Sunnis (Beauchamp, 17

Things About ISIS and Iraq You Need To Know, 2014). Prime Minister al-Maliki

himself, refuse to accommodate Sunnis. Iraqi government treats Sunnis harshly by

killing peaceful Sunnis protestor and used anti-terrorism law to justify mass-arrest to

Sunnis civilian (Beauchamp, 17 Things About ISIS and Iraq You Need To Know,

2014). Through that fact ISIS gains support from Sunni Muslim of Iraq, as they will not

give support for government that violate their right. ISIS and Sunni Muslim of Iraq

surprisingly see Iraq government as their common enemy.

Therefore, there is a high probability that it will strongly creates enmities toward

other states that according to ISIS is state deviates Islam value and the state that it

believes attacks Islamic value. Iran will highly disadvantageous if Iraq falls into ISIS

hand because it sees Iraq as its important ally and also country that has big influence in

establishing Shiite based government in Iraq. Iran’s effort to make Iraq as its strategic

ally will be devastated as Iraq will be back to the condition where it is capable to launch

enmities toward Iran as what happen when Iraq in the hand of Saddam Hussein.

The possibility to share same border with the Iraq that lead by extremist

fundamentalist Sunni terrorist and insurgent group such as ISIS is also future threat

toward Iran’s national defend and sovereignty as ISIS identity clearly shows its

intention to be enemy of Shiite Islam and it will be easy for ISIS to attack Iran anytime

as Iraq and Iran shares direct border.

3. Iran’s Protection toward Iran-Iraq Shiite Political Alliance

Based on the constructivism theory in analyzing the reasons behind 2014 Iran’s

military intervention in the case of Iraq conflict against Islamic State of Iraq and al-

Sham (ISIS) insurgency this paper believe that one of the reason why Iran does that is

because of trough military intervention Iran tries to do protection toward its Shiite

political influence in Iraq that threaten by ISIS as what already explained before. The

military intervention undergoes by Iran to help Iraq fighting against ISIS shows clear

indication that Iran’s identity as Shiite based country influence its strategy to deal with

threat from ISIS over Iran’s interest in Iraq. Iran’s interest in this case is that Iran’s

Shiite political alliance that is able to maintain Iran and Iraq friendly relations. Iran’s

2014 military intervention in Iraq to help Iraq fighting against ISIS clearly shows an

effort to protect the Iraq identity as Shiite based country, because the protection of

Iraq’s identity as Shiite country is equal to its protection toward its influence in Iraq.

Iran’s influence in Iraq will stand only if Iraq identity as Shiite country preserved. The

indication of Iran’s interest to protect Shiite identity of Iraq clearly shows in the

operation of Iran’s Quds force.

The prime minister of Iraq’s at the time when Iran’s sent its special Quds force

to Iraq was Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the one who succeeded to be Iraq’s prime

minister because of the support and influence of Iran. Therefore it is logic that as entity

that involve in the struggle to make Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister, Iran involve in

the struggle to protect the Iraqi government from Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham

attack.

Even though finally Nouri al-Maliki step down from his position as Prime

Minister of Iraq on 14th

of August 2014 and replaced by Haider al-Abadi there is no

change in Iran’s foreign policy to help Iraq trough military intervention. It is noted that

Iran is country that firstly congratulates al-Abadi as the candidate of new Prime

Minister (Israel News, 2014). The acceptance of Iran toward Haider al-Abadi is

reasonable because of Haider al-Abadi is new Prime Minister who originally come from

the Dawa Party, therefore the replacement of Maliki by al-Abadi still in line with Iran

and Iraq political alliance (Madi, 2014).

The troop that deploys by Iran as its support for Iraqi government is special

Iran’s force called as Quds force in which known as the revolutionary guard of Iran that

actively supports Shiite militias in Iraq. Quds force operation in Iraq to support Iraq

forces to fight against ISIS also known doing an effort to preserve and strengthen and

gather support for the Iraqi government from Shiite militias. Quds force work to balance

Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham effort in gathering support from Sunni by

strengthening Shiite support for the government.

The majority of Iran’s troops concentrate in the holy places of Iraq such as

Najaf, Karbala and Samara as well as Baghdad. It shows clearly that Iran will protect

important cities that become symbolic of Shiite identity and also Baghdad from ISIS.

Baghdad is the symbol of central government, if Bagdad fall into ISIS’s hand its mean

that overall Iraq fall into ISIS, and Iran will not let that happen to preserve its Shiite

political influence.

The Foreign Minister of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif’s statement in his

interview with Amanpour from CNN clearly indicated that Islamic State of Iraq and al-

Sham (ISIS) insurgency in Iraq is also threat toward Iran. When Amanpour asked him

about how ISIS threatens Iran, he answered:

To Iran, too. Iran is a part of this region. We don't like instability in our neighborhood.

Inside Iran, we are probably best protected from such waves of extremism than any of

our neighbors. All our neighbors are more vulnerable to this threat than Iran is

internally. But for us, our domestic security is inseparable from security of the

region. So for us a secure Iraq, a secure Persian Gulf, a secure Afghanistan is as

important as our own security (United States Institute of Peace The Iran Primer, 2014).

From above statement we can conclude that Iran see the instability that happen in Iraq

because of ISIS will impact Iran stability too. Therefore Iran needs to do an action to

protect Iraq to be secure from ISIS and for Iran. The secure Iran will be achieved if Iran

able to protect its Shiite political influence in Iran, and Iran’s Shiite political influence

will be protected if Iran able to help Iraq to preserve its identity as Shiite country.

Conclusion

In conclusion, all of the findings from this study regarding the reason behind

Iran’s military intervention to help Iraq fighting against ISIS were proven through

analyzing the identity of Iran’s as the subject of this paper. It is exactly consistent with

the theory of constructivism that being used by this paper which believes that the

identity and value inherent inside the identity is able to influence the behavior of certain

actor. In this study, Military Intervention is Iran’s form of behavior toward the Islamic

State of Iraq and al-Sham in Iraq. The reason behind why Iran acts that way is because

of Iran’s attempts to protect its identity symbol and fellow Shiite follower in Iraq from

ISIS as well as to protect its Shiite political alliance with Iraq that in future will

diminish if ISIS success to take over the whole Iraq.

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