Latest news with #IslamicRevolutionofIran
NBC News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Iran's strategic blunders paved the way for humiliating defeats, experts say
Less than two years ago, Iran's government sounded triumphant. It was November 2023, just weeks after Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and a senior Iranian general was predicting that the regime and its proxy forces in Gaza and Lebanon were poised to vanquish Israel, the United States and other enemies. 'We are fighting America, Zionism and all those who are targeting the greatness and honor of the Islamic Revolution of Iran,' Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said in a speech in the city of Kazvin. 'We are on the verge of conquering great heights. ... We are completely overcoming the enemies.' Now Iran is in its most precarious position since the early 1980s. Its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon have been devastated, Hamas has been eviscerated in Gaza, Tehran's nuclear sites have been heavily bombed, and Israel's military now owns the skies over Iran. As for Salami, he was killed in an Israeli airstrike this month. How Iran got here can be traced to a series of miscalculations and strategic blunders, experts and former officials say, a result of decisions made both decades and only months ago. Tehran's often obstinate diplomacy, overreliance on regional militants and shoddy security left it vulnerable to adversaries with much more powerful militaries. And at a crucial moment, the regime's leaders failed to grasp the intentions and capabilities of its arch foes in Jerusalem and Washington, with no foreign partner ready to come to its aid. 'Iran was too inflexible when it had to be less stubborn,' said Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group think tank. 'It never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.' Among its more recent missteps, Iran failed to learn from how other countries managed their relations with President Donald Trump or how the ground had shifted after Israel devastated Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Vaez said. But perhaps Iran's biggest mistake was counting on those Hezbollah proxies in Lebanon in the first place to serve as a 'forward defense' against any possible attack by Israel. That approach worked for years, and it dealt Israel a blow when it sent ground troops into Lebanon. But everything changed when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Iran had armed, trained and financed Hamas, and the group's onslaught set off a chain of events that has left the regime in Tehran severely weakened and its regional power diminished. 'I think there is a direct line from Oct. 7 to today,' said Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence official. While Israel hammered away at Hamas militants in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza after Oct. 7, Iran and its Hezbollah allies prepared for an eventual ground attack from Israel into Lebanon. Instead, Israel took a different tack, targeting Hezbollah's commanders and its top leader through airstrikes and booby-trapped pagers used by Hezbollah's members. Israeli forces staged only a small incursion into southern Lebanon. Alex Plitsas, a former Defense Department official with the Atlantic Council think tank, said, 'The dominoes that fell after Oct. 7th left Iran's proxy network in shambles, eroded deterrence and reduced its counterstrike capabilities.' But he said Iran failed to adapt and refused diplomatic overtures from Washington despite its increasingly vulnerable position. Seth Jones, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that after the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, Tehran invested heavily in arming and training militias in the region through its Revolutionary Guard Corps, with Hezbollah as the anchor of an 'axis of resistance.' The scheme worked for decades, Jones said, but it neglected the country's armed forces, which have fallen far behind. 'What it means is that your conventional forces don't get the same level of focus,' Jones said. During Israel's air campaign, 'the Iranians were fighting an enemy that's got fifth-generation F-35 stealth aircraft.' 'They just don't have an answer to that,' Jones added. Iran has also faltered on the diplomatic front. In talks over its nuclear program, Iran's leaders stuck to an uncompromising stance mistakenly believing they could buy more time and secure more concessions from Trump, as well as his predecessor, Joe Biden, experts said. Over four years, Iran dragged its feet and delayed talks with the Biden administration, which had expressed a willingness to revive and revise the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump had abandoned in 2018, Western officials say. When Trump returned to the White House, his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, offered Iran a way to continue to enrich uranium for a period of years, while other countries in the region would help it develop a civilian nuclear energy program. The Israeli government and Republican hawks were worried that Trump's offer was too generous. But Iran appeared to misread Trump, calculating that it could extend the talks over a longer period, experts and Western officials say. In the end, the billions of dollars and decades of effort Iran devoted to its nuclear program 'provided the nation neither nuclear energy nor deterrence,' Karim Sadjadpour, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on social media. Relying on Russia Apart from its regional network of proxy forces stretching from Lebanon to Yemen, Iran had long relied on the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad as its only genuine ally. But Sunni rebels ousted Assad in December, and Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers are no longer welcome in Damascus. Iran also had portrayed its increasing cooperation with Russia as a 'strategic' partnership, with Tehran providing thousands of Shahed drones for its war on Ukraine, as well as technical advice to help Moscow build the unnamed aircraft on Russian territory. In return, Iran acquired some Russian air defense systems, but promised fighter jets and other hardware never materialized. Over the past two weeks, Israel's air force destroyed Iran's radars and Russian anti-aircraft weaponry, with Tehran losing control over its airspace. Russian President Vladimir Putin made no mention of providing military assistance to Iran when he met Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, in Moscow on Monday. Despite Iran's hard-line rhetoric about conquering its enemies and its extensive intelligence and security apparatus, Israel has repeatedly carried out sabotage and assassinations of top military officers, nuclear scientists, the leaders of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the leaders of Hamas in Gaza. The operations have humiliated Iran's regime and shown that the country's intelligence services are unable to protect top-ranking officers or other key figures. 'Iran's entire investments in its forward defense, missiles program and nuclear capabilities evaporated in the course of 12 months of regional war and 12 days of war on its own territory,' said Vaez, of the International Crisis Group. 'Judging by that outcome, there is no question that Iran miscalculated at every turn.'
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First Post
16-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
As Netanyahu dares Khamenei, here's timeline of Israel-Iran conflict
After decades of proxy warfare, Israel and Iran are now locked in a war that has killed dozens and injured hundreds. Here is the timeline of the Israel-Iran conflict that now threatened to light up West Asia. read more People watch from a bridge as flames from an Israeli attack rise from Sharan Oil depot, following Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, June 15, 2025. (Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters) In the early hours of Friday, Israel struck Iran's nuclear sites, wiped out the Iranian military's chain of command, and destroyed a host of military sites ranging from air defence units to missile launchers. As Iran responded, the two countries entered direct war after decades of proxy warfare. This is the third time that the two have found each other in a direct confrontation in more than a year — even though this one is the most intense. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the past two instances, both the sides made it a point to offer an offramp to the other and leave a scope of de-escalation in their own attacks. With strikes on Friday and follow-up attacks that continue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not left any room of de-escalation — at least for now. Here is the timeline of the Israel-Iran conflict from 1970s to 2024. The Islamic Revolution of Iran of 1979 As they have clashed for decades, it may appear that Israel and Iran are natural enemies, but that is not the case. Until the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when radical Islamists overthrew the rule of liberal, pro-West Shah of Iran and established a theocracy, Israel and Iran had extensive partnerships in the domains of economy, trade, defence, agriculture, and intelligence. Iran was part of Israel's 'Alliance of the Periphery' along with Turkey and Ethiopia. The idea of the alliance was to be friends with non-Arab countries in the West Asia and North America region — the enemy's enemy being your friend. In his book 'The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World', Avi Shlaim called Iran the 'jewel in the crown of the Alliance of the Periphery'. 'Its common border with the Soviet Union made Iran a front-line state in the Cold War. Traditional hostility between Iran and the Arab world also facilitated cooperation with Israel. In March 1950, Iran recognised Israel de facto and permitted it to maintain an unofficial low-level representation in Tehran. Iran also supplied oil to Israel. In the aftermath of Suez this low-level economic relationship was transformed into a close political and strategic partnership,' noted Shlaim. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That changed with the Islamic Revolution of 1979 of Iran when the Islamist Ayatollah Ali Khomenei took over the country. He made opposition to Israel and the United States, whom he called 'Small Satan' and 'Great Satan' respectively, central to the ruling ideology and formally committed Iran to the destruction of Israel. Contrary to the tone that Netanyahu has now chosen, which calls for the overthrowal of the Ayatollah's regime in Tehran, Israel for years sought a relationship with Iran even after the Islamic Revolution. Israel supported Iran in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88). However, with no reciprocity, Israel's attempts faded and the two sides entered a decadeslong phase of proxy warfare that erupted into a full-scale war last week. Israel-Iran proxy war (1980s-2024) Even as Israel supported Iran against Iraq, Iran propped Hezbollah in Lebanon in 1992. Until its decapitation in 2024, Hezbollah would become the most potent non-state actor in West Asia, with tens of thousands of fighters and an arsenal of hundreds of thousands of missiles and rockets. Inside Lebanon, Hezbollah ran a state inside a state and controlled vast swathes of territories in the southern part of the country bordering Israel. The group clashed with Israel numerous times, conducted attacks, and fought wars. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the 1990s, Iran also started supporting Hamas, which later went on to become the principal Palestinian anti-Israel group. Both Hezbollah and Hamas share Iran's goal of destroying Israel. These are the major incidents during the proxy war: 1992: Argentina Embassy bombing: Hezbollah bombed the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aeris, Argentina, killing 29 people, including four Israelis. 1994: AMIA Jewish center was bombed in Argentina, killing 85 killed. Hezbollah was blamed for the attack. 2002: Western intelligence agencies expose the Iranian nuclear weapons programme. 2003: Iran formally shuts down the nuclear programme and enters talks. 2006: Iran resumes nuclear fuel enrichment. 2010: Stuxnet virus attack on Natanz nuclear site. 2010-onward: Assassinations of Iranian nuclear 2010-20, Israel assassinated at least six Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was known as the father of Iranian nuclear programme. He was killed in 2020 with a robotic gun. Other scientists killed included Masoud Alimohammadi (2010), Majid Shahriari (2010), Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani (2010; he survived), Daryoush Rezaei-Nejad (2011), and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan (2012). 2020: The United States assassinated Qasem Soleimani, the chief of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force in Iraq. Israel assisted in the the strikes, Iran and its proxies in the region targeted US military bases in the region with missiles and rockets. Israel-Iran conflict of 2024 After decades of proxy war and cold war, Israel and Iran exchanged direct blows for the first time in 2024 in the aftermath of the October 7 attack. In April, an Israeli strike on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Syrian capital Damascus killed senior officers of the IRGC. Iran and its proxies launched hundreds of missiles and drones on Israel and a defensive coalition propped by the United States, comprising the US, British, French, Saudi, Emirati, and Jordanian forces, helped Israel in its defence. Israel also responded with strikes days later. Both sides carried out strikes in a manner that allowed them an off-ramp. On July 31, Israel assassinated then-Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in a bomb blast. In a colossal embarrassment for Iran, he was killed inside an IRGC guesthouse while he was attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Earlier that day, Israel had assassinated Fuad Shukr, the military chief of Hezbollah, in an airstrike in Lebanese capital Beirut. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran responded with hundreds of missiles and drones in October and Israel responded with retaliatory airstrikes. In the second round of strikes too, both sides allowed them an off-ramp even as Israel delivered substantial blows to Iran. This time too, the then-Joe Biden administration revived the defensive coalition for the defence of Israel. In major achievements, Israel destroyed most of the Iranian air defence systems and damaged a key component of the nuclear programme.
Al Manar
04-06-2025
- General
- Al Manar
Imam Khamenei: US Can't Do a Damn Thing on Nuclear Issue
Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei dismissed on Wednesday US plans for the Islamic Republic's nuclear industry, stressing that Tehran will maintain its uranium enrichment activities. In a televised address on the 36th anniversary of the passing of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Sayyed Rouhullah Mousawi Khomeini, Imam Khamenei said the US proposals for Iran's nuclear issue 'totally contradicts the 'We Can' doctrine.' 'The first word of the US is that Iran should not have a nuclear industry and should rely on the United States. Our response to the US' nonsense is clear: they cannot do a damn thing in this matter.' The moment when Imam Khamenei entered the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini to deliver his speech on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of Imam Khomeini's demise on June 4, 2025. — Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) June 4, 2025 US media reports said Tuesday the Trump administration is proposing an arrangement that would permit 'limited low-level uranium enrichment on Iranian soil for a to-be-determined period of time.' Commenting on such report, Imam Khamenei stressed that uranium enrichment 'is the key to the nuclear issue, and the enemies have also put their fingers on enrichment.' Imam Khamenei said Iran has achieved a complete nuclear fuel cycle with great efforts, adding the nuclear industry is not just for energy. 'The nuclear industry is a parent industry. Numerous scientific fields are affected by the nuclear industry,' he addressed crowds at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini in southern Tehran. Imam Khomeini Great Leader Meanwhile, Imam Khamenei said Iran, with a growing, stable and authoritative political system born of a great revolution under the leadership of Imam Khomeini, surprised the Western world. 'The leader of our revolution is a great man whose presence in the world is still tangible after thirty-odd years since his passing, and the impact of his revolution is clearly visible to people around the world,' his imminence said. 'The sharp decline in America's position in the world is due to his presence, and hatred of Zionists is due to his revolution,' he added. Imam Khamenei touched on 'a movement towards aversion to Western values' in the world, saying it is rooted in the revolution created by Imam Khomeini. 'The Islamic Revolution of Iran surprised the Western world. They did not think that a single cleric, without equipment and financial resources, could lead a nation into battle,' his eminence added.
Saba Yemen
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Sayyid Khamenei during his reception of Al-Nakhalah: American plan regarding Gaza will not be achieved
Tehran - Saba: The Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, during his reception of the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziad Al-Nakhalah, and his accompanying delegation, stressed this afternoon, Tuesday, that the foolish American plans regarding Gaza and Palestine are a failure and will not be achieved. Sayyid Khamenei said during the meeting, "These projects will fail. Those who claimed that they would eliminate the resistance a year and a half ago are now receiving their prisoners from small groups of resistance fighters and releasing a large number of Palestinian prisoners." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Russia Today
11-02-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
India view support for Iran port project despite US sanctions
India has pledged continued support for its joint project with Iran at the port of Chabahar, days after US President Donald Trump targeted the facility in new sanctions against Tehran. The Chabahar project is key for the region's economic development, New Delhi has said. Speaking on Monday at an event to mark the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Indian Foreign Ministry secretary Jaideep Mazumdar Mazumdar described regional connectivity as a 'crucial' aspect of relations, according to the Times of India. He added that the development of the Chabahar deepwater port in southeastern Iran is a key example of the two countries' 'shared vision for mutual benefit through connectivity.' His remarks come days after US President Trump passed an executive order to exert 'maximum economic pressure' on Iran, directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to 'impose sanctions on the Iranian government, aiming to restrict its access to funds, including those generated through oil exports, ports, and related businesses.' 'The Secretary of State shall modify or rescind sanctions waivers, particularly those that provide Iran any degree of economic or financial relief, including those related to Iran's Chabahar port project,' the order stated. READ MORE: Stunning images from Su-57 cockpit on India debut (VIDEO) The Chabahar port was conceived as a strategic hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor, developed by India, Iran, and Russia as an alternative shipping route to the Suez Canal. The INSTC originates in Mumbai, traversing through Iran's Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Anzali, and Chabahar, before crossing the Caspian Sea to reach Astrakhan in southern Russia. It then connects to Moscow and St. Petersburg via rail and road links. In 2024, New Delhi and Tehran signed a contract that involves India equipping and operating the Shahid Beheshti terminal of the port over the next ten years, opening up opportunities for India to increase trade and commerce with Central Asia and Russia, as well as Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. As per the contract, India Global Ports Limited (IGPL) will take over the operations of the general cargo and container terminals at the Shahid Beheshti port, one of the two facilities at Chabahar. After the Chabahar deal was announced, the administration of US President Joe Biden threatened India with sanctions, saying that anyone considering 'business deals with Iran, they need to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions.' Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar responding by saying that the long-term agreement between India and Iran to operate the Chabahar port is 'for everyone's benefit.' READ MORE: X suspends RT India account Notably, the previous Trump administration had in 2018 exempted Chabahar from US sanctions, acknowledging its role in facilitating reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. An Indian government report recently noted a significant increase in maritime activity through the INSTC, with a 43% rise in vessel traffic and 34% growth in container traffic during the financial year 2023-24. The Iranian ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, was quoted by the Times of India as hailing the strong partnership between Tehran and New Delhi and stating that economic ties are growing. 'Cooperation through the International North–South Transport Corridor is another key example of the strong partnership between our countries,' he said.
