Tehran Eight
1987–1989 Iran-backed Afghan Shia military alliance
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The Tehran Eight[1] was a Shia Afghan Mujahideen political union, mainly composed of ethnic Afghan Hazaras, during the Soviet–Afghan War. They were supported by Iran, hence the name Tehran Eight.
Tehran Eight | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987 (developed since 1979) |
| Dissolved | 1989 |
| Merged into | Hezbe Wahdat |
| Headquarters | Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Ideology | Shia Islamism Anti-communism |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| Religion | Shi'a Islam |
The Tehran Eight were predominantly active in the Hazarajat region in central Afghanistan, and fought against the PDPA government and the supporting Soviet troops. It formed the second largest resistance force in the war, after the main Afghan mujahideen (also called the "Peshawar Seven"), which was a Sunni alliance.
The Tehran Eight was formed in December 1987 with the direct participation of the Iranian state, after years of inter-factional struggle in the Hazarajat. In 1989, they were united into one party, Hezb-e Wahdat, with the exception of Hezbollah Afghanistan.
The Eight Factions
The following Afghan organizations composed the Tehran Eight, all headquartered in Iran:[2]
| Group | Year Founded | Leaders | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Hezbollah Afghanistan | HA | 1980 |
|
.svg) |
Islamic Victory Organization of Afghanistan | Al-Nasr | 1980 |
|
 |
Afghan Revolutionary Guard Corps | IRGAC | 1982 | |
| Islamic Movement of Afghanistan | IDA | 1978 |
| |
| Revolutionary Council of Islamic Unity of Afghanistan | Shura | 1979 |
| |
| Islamic Revolution Movement | DRI | 1980 |
| |
| Union of Islamic Fighters for Islam in Afghanistan | OBI | 1980 |
| |
| Thunder Party |
| |||
