22-04-2025
Iran-Linked Youth Group Shares Video Of Shi'ite Muslim Rally In Michigan: 'Dearborn Is The Outcry Of Support For Palestine That Makes America's Heart Tremble'
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here .
On April 17, 2025, "The Global Front Of Resistance Youth," an Iran-backed group that promotes anti-U.S. and anti-Israel "resistance" ideology among youth, posted on its Arabic- and Farsi-language Telegram channels a one-minute promotional video describing Dearborn, Michigan, as the central point of support for Palestine in America. [1]
The Global Front for Resistance Youth: "Here Is America…"
"Dearborn, Michigan, is America's first city with a Muslim majority. It is the place where the banner of Hussayn, peace be upon him, always flies, and the outcry of support for Palestine the oppressed rises up, making the heart of America tremble," reads the post, which promoted the hashtag: #An_Outcry_Without_Frontier.
Imam Hussayn is the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of the fourth Caliph, Ali Ibn Abi Talib. He is regarded as the third imam in Shi'ite Islam. His suffering and martyrdom became a symbol of sacrifice in the struggle for right against wrong.
The video documents pro-Palestine protests and gatherings, as well as scenes from the "March for Justice Annual Procession," held in July 2024, organized by the Ashura Project, a Shi'ite institution that promotes the values of Imam Hussayn in the Detroit-Metro community. Camera drones and a helicopter flying an "O Hussayn" banner were used during the event:
"The Ashura Project is an effort of dedicated individuals of all ages to reflect on the legacy of the event of Ashura, raise awareness of its messages for humanity, and help the Detroit-Metro community understand its life-changing significance,' according to the Ashura Project website. [2]
Significant Outreach Potential: Ties To The Iranian State, IRGC, Palestinian Groups, And Iraqi Militias
"The Global Front for Resistance Youth," which describes itself as a popular movement based in Qom, Iran, claims to have thousands of Shi'ite youth members from around the world. The group is affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is believed to be a state-run organization that conducts annual conferences and events aimed at mobilizing youth in support of Iran's international and regional agenda. [3] The organization runs two Telegram channels, in Farsi and in Arabic, with subscribers numbering 166,942 and 159,514 respectively.
The organization's director, Ismail Bor Hawashimi, maintains close ties with militia leaders in Baghdad, such as Hadi Al-Ameri, the head of Iraq's Iran-backed Badr Organization, whom he met in Baghdad on August 13, 2024. [4]
During the first few weeks of the Gaza war, The Global Front for Resistance Youth's Telegram channel in Farsi has been sharing fliers suggesting that supporters could hand out fliers at "gatherings" to influence public opinion about the Hamas attack on Israel, codenamed "Al-Aqsa Flood." [5] The Arabic channel also promoted posts featuring anti-Israel, and anti-U.S. slogans in English, suggesting that they be used at anti-Israel student protests.
On October 21, 2023, the group platformed Hamas's representative in Tehran, Khalid Al-Qadoumi, filming a video of him urging supporters around the world to donate, describing the group as a popular support group that comprises young elites and which has a good reputation for providing social work and humanitarian aid. [6]
[1] Telegram, April 17, 2025.
