Iran’s Strategic Agenda for Prolonging Conflict

Gaza devastation
Written by
Farid Mahoutchi

In the wake of a week filled with propaganda and war rhetoric from the Iranian regime’s state and proxy media, the highly anticipated speech by Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah finally took place. In a lengthy address, interlaced with empty saber-rattling, Nasrallah echoed the directives of his masters in Tehran, attempting to distance Hezbollah and the Iranian regime from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

While some observers may have breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the escalation of the conflict had been postponed, most saw it as a sign of Tehran’s fear and strategic backpedaling. To gain a deeper understanding of the situation, it’s essential to scrutinize the statements of the Iranian regime.

Paradoxically, Iranian state officials persist in claiming their support for what they refer to as “the Axis of Resistance” while attempting to distance themselves from the events in Gaza. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in particular, wishes to avoid being held accountable for his atrocities. In reality, he is playing a dual game of maintaining a state of neither war nor peace.

In truth, Iranian state officials have never concealed their involvement in the violent militia conflicts that have wrought havoc throughout the Middle East, bringing about profound socio-economic challenges for the rest of the world. Their intent is to make the international community realize that Tehran is the driving force behind what they term the “strategic depth” of their regime.

On October 30, the Kayhan newspaper, under the influence of Khamenei’s office, published a transcript allegedly from a Q&A session with students. In response to a question, Hossein Shariatmadari stated, “Don’t ask me when the Islamic Republic is going to enter Gaza, but rather ask me when the Islamic Republic is going to leave Gaza.” He emphasized, “We and the resistance forces, which have now spread throughout the Islamic world, are one unified entity. They are just like us, and we are the same as those present in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. We have not left the scene, and we are ready to intervene when necessary.”

However, what some politicians may perceive as the regime’s strength is, in reality, a point of weakness. If the belligerent regime learned one lesson from the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, it’s that it lacks the ideological powerhouse to win the hearts and minds of its own people, let alone those of other nations. Consequently, it strategically exploits grievances in other countries, sows division among political factions, and seeks to establish a foothold for itself.

As Khamenei is acutely aware, his regime and its foreign proxies lack the integrity, motivation, and expertise to lead a nation toward peace and prosperity, their primary capability lies in perpetuating confrontation. This strategy serves as a means to leverage a foreign enemy, using it as an excuse for their inability and the stark absence of merit in resolving problems.

A cursory examination of the current situations in Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen provides a clear picture of what the entities aligned with the Iranian regime represent. With Khamenei’s regime in control, millions of people, not just in Iran but across the region, are unlikely to experience prosperity and are condemned to live in poverty and the constant threat of conflict.

The sole viable option for the Middle East to achieve lasting peace and for the world to rid itself of medieval extremism under the guise of Islam is to support the very force that possesses the ideological, structural, and strategic foundation to challenge this regime on its own turf and bring about change in Tehran.

 

Iran’s Strategic Agenda for Prolonging Conflict

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