LONDON – The ongoing escalation between Iran and the child-killing occupying entity and its backers highlights Iran as a central pillar of the Axis of Resistance, leading an existential battle against Zionist and Western-American aggression. This confrontation is not merely a military conflict but a struggle for dignity and independence, embodying the will of the Islamic nation to defend its sovereignty and sacred values.

In this article, we explore Iran’s role and that of its allies in the Axis of Resistance, analysing the strategic context of the current confrontation, focusing on the following points: Iran’s restoration of strategic deterrence, rejection of any settlement without guarantees to halt Zionist aggression, the entity’s targeting of Iran’s comprehensive capabilities, the ultimate Zionist-American goal of regime change and partitioning Iran, the fruitless (Arab) mediation efforts, Iran’s reluctance to expand the war, and West Asia’s challenges that bring unforeseen surprises.  

Iran: The pillar of the Axis of Resistance

Since the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has made the Palestinian cause the cornerstone of its foreign policy, founding the “Axis of Resistance,” which includes its strategic allies: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansarullah in Yemen, the Palestinian Resistance (Hamas and Islamic Jihad), and Resistance factions in Iraq and Syria. This axis is not just a military alliance, but a strategic vision aimed at confronting Zionist-American hegemony and liberating Palestine.

Iran has supported its allies with weapons, training, and funding, enabling them to achieve historic victories, such as Hezbollah’s resilience in the July 2006 wars and the 2023 “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation that humiliated the occupying entity. In return, Iran has made significant sacrifices, from economic sieges to the assassination of leaders like Major General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, scientists like Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and subsequent assassinations. These sacrifices confirm that Iran is not merely a supporter of resistance but its leader, resisting aggression with all its might to protect the Islamic nation, with its slogan: “The blood of our martyrs is not more precious than the blood of Gaza’s oppressed children.”  

Strategic context: Restoring deterrence and rejecting humiliating settlements

It is likely that the coming days will not witness a ceasefire between Iran and the occupying entity, as the time for de-escalation has not yet arrived. There is no room now to discuss a ceasefire, with Iran’s equation based on “a blow below the belt for a blow below the belt,” and no initiative from Tehran for calm is in its calculations. Iran realizes that any halt in fighting without binding guarantees will allow the occupying entity to regroup and repeat its aggression.  

Iran is working to restore strategic deterrence to prevent becoming a violated state that the occupying entity strikes whenever it pleases. Operation “True Promise 3” on June 13, 2025, which involved launching 300 ballistic missiles and 200 drones, including “Arash-2,” proved Iran’s ability to penetrate the “Iron Dome” defenses and hit sensitive military targets in occupied Jaffa and Haifa. This response followed Zionist attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, confirming that Tehran will not allow aggression to be repeated without a heavy price.  

Any ceasefire settlement that does not include binding international guarantees to prevent the recurrence of Zionist aggression will not be acceptable in Tehran. Iran refuses to compromise its sovereignty or military capabilities under the pressure of aggression, a stance reflecting its strategy to preserve national dignity and its position as a regional power, rejecting any agreement that shackles it before the occupying entity or Washington.

The ultimate goal of the occupying entity and the United States is not merely to weaken Iran militarily or economically but to change the regime of the Islamic Republic and partition Iran into small, weak entities, ending its role as a regional power supporting the Axis of Resistance. This goal goes beyond targeting nuclear facilities, encompassing:  

Overthrowing the government: The occupying entity and Washington seek to incite internal unrest in Iran through economic sieges, sanctions, and psychological warfare to destabilize the Islamic Republic.  

Partitioning Iran: Zionist-American schemes aim to divide Iran into small states based on ethnic and sectarian lines, as occurred in Iraq and Syria, to facilitate control over its resources and end its support for Palestine.  

Weakening the Resistance: Toppling Iran would cut off supplies to Hezbollah, Ansarullah, and the Palestinian Resistance, eliminating the Axis of Resistance’s threat to the occupying entity.

Iran, with its military and political resilience, resists this scheme, affirming that the Islamic Republic will remain steadfast, as expressed by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a recent speech: “Iran will not bow to the enemy and will continue supporting the resistance until the liberation of Al-Quds.”

Comprehensive targeting: Not just nuclear

Contrary to the Zionist-American narrative that limits the aggression on Iran to its nuclear program, Zionist attacks target Iran’s comprehensive capabilities: missile systems, industry, and energy resources. The goal is not to prevent the “militarization” of the nuclear program but to topple Iran or weaken it in all areas, rendering it incapable of supporting the Axis of Resistance or confronting Zionist hegemony.  

Missile capabilities: Iran’s missiles, like “Sejjil” and “Khaibar Shikan,” and drones like “Arash-2,” pose a direct threat to the occupying entity, as demonstrated in Operation “True Promise 3.” Thus, the entity seeks to destroy these capabilities to weaken Iran’s deterrence.  

Industry and energy: Zionist attacks targeted Iranian energy facilities and defense industries to cripple its economy and weapon production capacity.  

Nuclear pretext: The claim that Iran seeks to militarize its nuclear program is a baseless pretext to justify aggression. Iran has repeatedly affirmed its nuclear program is peaceful, and Ayatollah Khamenei’s fatwa prohibits nuclear weapons. In contrast, Tehran revealed sensitive documents about the Zionist nuclear program, bolstering its intelligence deterrence and exposing Western double standards.

This comprehensive aggression reveals the true goal: aborting Iran’s role as a regional power supporting Palestine and the Axis of Resistance, not just preventing nuclear capabilities.

Arab mediation efforts: Absence of a de-escalation climate

Three Arab countries (likely Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia) have engaged in mediation to secure a ceasefire, but the climate for de-escalation remains absent. These efforts collide with Iran’s rejection of any settlement without guarantees to stop aggression and the entity’s desire to continue escalation to achieve its goals. Regrettably, these Arab countries act as neutral mediators instead of standing with Iran in this existential war against an entity that also targets them!  

The United States, which supports the occupying entity militarily and politically, presses for humiliating conditions on Iran in nuclear negotiations, complicating mediation. As Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi noted in a post on X on June 14, 2025, Iranian-American talks are scheduled for June 15, 2025, in Muscat, but Washington’s lack of political will keeps de-escalation out of reach.  

Iran does not seek to expand the war

Contrary to the Zionist narrative portraying Iran as seeking to expand the conflict, the Iranian mindset is clear in its reluctance to open new battlefronts. Iran focuses on direct responses to aggression, as shown in Operation “True Promise 3,” without seeking to drag the region into a comprehensive war. This stance reflects strategic wisdom, as Tehran aims to preserve its allies and their human and military capabilities.  

Nevertheless, West Asia faces tough days, and the paths of the Iranian-Zionist war cannot be predicted with certainty. War always brings surprises beyond theoretical calculations, whether from Iran’s calculated responses or unanticipated escalation by the entity. Iran remains committed to the equation of “a blow below the belt for a blow below the belt,” refusing to initiate de-escalation.  

Zionist-American interests convergence and Iran’s resistance

The convergence of interests between the occupying entity and the United States aims to:  

Target scientific capabilities: The entity seeks to destroy Iran’s scientific and technological infrastructure, including nuclear and industrial facilities, to weaken it as a regional power.  

Force Iran to negotiate in weakness: Washington wants to drag Tehran to the nuclear negotiation table in a position of weakness to impose conditions limiting its nuclear and missile programs.  

Regime change and partitioning Iran: The ultimate goal is to overthrow the Islamic Republic and partition Iran, ending its support for the Axis of Resistance and facilitating regional dominance.

Iran resists this convergence forcefully, using its military and intelligence capabilities to thwart it. In Operation “True Promise 3,” it targeted vital Zionist facilities, such as a military research center in occupied Haifa and the “Kiryah” headquarters in occupied Jaffa, inflicting strategic losses on the entity. Iran also closed the door to negotiations with Washington until the aggression stops, affirming it will not negotiate under pressure.

Iran exposed sensitive documents related to the Zionist nuclear program, an intelligence move that redefined deterrence and exposed Western double standards.

Role of Iran’s allies: Resilience of the Axis of Resistance

Iran’s allies in the Axis of Resistance play a crucial role in confronting Zionist-American aggression:  

Hezbollah: Despite Zionist strikes, it maintains its precision missile capabilities, as shown by releasing images of a strategic missile inside a tunnel, a deterrent message to the entity.  

Palestinian Resistance: Hamas and Islamic Jihad, with legendary popular support, continued their resistance in Gaza, achieving victories post-“Al-Aqsa Flood” and keeping the entity in disarray.  

Ansarullah: Yemen’s armed forces in Sana’a targeted the entity and are ready to strike vital interests and sites, not only warships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea but across the region, affirming solidarity with Palestine and Iran.  

Iraqi Factions: Iraqi factions have their fingers on the trigger to attack American bases and other U.S. interests in response to Washington’s support for Zionist aggression, increasing pressure on American interests.

These coordinated efforts prove that the Axis of Resistance is a unified force capable of confronting the enemy despite painful strikes. Iran, as diplomat Farji Rad noted, sought a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon to protect its allies but will not abandon their support until victory is achieved.

West Asia’s challenges: War’s surprises

West Asia faces difficult days, and the paths of the Iranian-Zionist war cannot be predicted accurately. War always brings surprises beyond pre-planned strategies, whether from Iran’s calculated responses or unexpected escalation by the entity. Iran, with its military and intelligence capabilities, has proven its ability to disrupt the entity and foil its plans, as seen in exposing Zionist nuclear documents.

Washington, as President Trump’s statements showed, supports the entity militarily but seeks to prevent a comprehensive regional war to protect its interests. In contrast, Iran rejects negotiations under pressure, affirming it will not compromise its right to defend itself and its allies.  

Iran leads the nation to victory

Iran, with its strategic wisdom and the resilience of its allies in the Axis of Resistance, leads the nation’s battle against Zionist-American aggression. Its rejection of de-escalation without guarantees, restoration of strategic deterrence, and resistance to regime change and partitioning schemes confirm that Tehran will not be a violated state.

O Arab, if you rejoice at Iran’s strikes, how will you face your conscience when Gaza’s children are killed by the same weapons targeting Iran? Supporting Iran is supporting Palestine, Al-Quds, and the nation’s dignity. Let us stand together, transcending differences, holding fast to Allah’s words: “If you support Allah, He will support you and plant your feet firmly” (Muhammad: 7).

O Allah, grant victory to Iran and its allies, and humiliate those who forsake our nation and betray its causes. Amen.