It was also strengthened by the regime’s activities in the 1980’s, when it created Hezbollah as a guerilla organization in Lebanon, thereby expanding its domination over the most important Shiite areas in the region. The Iranian regime then consolidated its mastery of the Shiite network in the Middle East, and now uses this control to further its own interests.
事实上，伊朗对什叶派宗教组织日益扩大的影响不仅局限于伊拉克。政府20世纪80年代在黎巴嫩建立真主党游击队武装的行动也扩大了这种影响，进而加强了对该地区最为重要的什叶派区域的控制。伊朗政府紧接着巩固了自己对中东什叶派网络的控制，并正在利用这种控制来为自身谋取利益。