The Axis of Resistance
Iran, Israel, and the Struggle for the Middle East

Hamidreza Azizi (Author)

9781509568000, Polity Press

Paperback / softback, published 8 May 2026

276 pages
22.6 x 15.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.408 kg

"A must-read for all those interested in the regional dynamics that have shaped the Middle East in recent decades."
Vali Nasr, Johns Hopkins University and the author of Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History

"Azizi, one of the most astute observers of contemporary Iran, has written an indispensable book on Iran's deterrence and security strategies and the consequences of its rivalry with Israel."
Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University in Qatar

"The first comprehensive account of Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' and all of its components in detail - analysing its functions and malfunctions from its very emergence to final defeat. A fascinating read."
Bente Scheller, Head of Middle East and North Africa Division, Heinrich Boell Foundation Berlin

"[Azizi] has his finger on the pulse"
FAZ

An unconventional alliance has come to define the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has been building a sprawling web of regional allies – from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Shiite militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza – all aimed at challenging what they see as a US-led regional order and Israel’s military supremacy. But, after decades of expansion, has this alliance – the Axis of Resistance – reached its breaking point?

In this path-breaking book, leading foreign policy analyst Hamidreza Azizi traces the rise, transformation, and fragmentation of the Axis, from its roots in local resistance movements to its peak under Qasem Soleimani and its involvement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The network now faces an existential threat. As regional dynamics continue to unfold, Azizi situates the Axis in its broader ideological and strategic context and examines competing visions for regional order in the Middle East. The Axis of Resistance offers a vital guide to one of the most consequential and misunderstood political-military alliances in contemporary international affairs.

Abbreviations

Introduction: From the Axis of Evil to the Axis of Resistance
1. Resistance: From Ideology to Strategy
2. First Tier: Palestinian Territories
3. Second Tier: Lebanon and Syria
4. Third Tier: Iraq and Yemen
5. An Ever-Evolving Network
6. Clash of Orders
Conclusion: Resistance without Axis?

Acknowledgements
Notes
Index

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP]