Iran Believes It Is Winning Strategic Victory Despite US Pressure

Tehran Sees Strategic Victory Ahead Despite US Pressure

The administration of US President Donald Trump is convinced it has pushed the Islamic Republic into a corner. Following months of massive bombardment, Iranian citizens are enduring severe economic hardships, and Tehran's capabilities have been significantly constrained by a naval blockade along its southern shores. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently rushed to declare that the US will "economically choke the regime."

However, an analysis published in the prestigious Foreign Affairs magazine reveals a completely different picture: the Iranian leadership is far from waving a white flag and actually believes it is on a path toward a strategic victory over the United States.

Nationalism on the Rise and Regime Consolidation

On the surface, statistical data points to collapse. American and Israeli bombardments have left extensive destruction in Iranian infrastructure, unemployment is soaring, and inflation is galloping. Western tactical successes culminated in the elimination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Washington hoped this elimination and economic pressure would spark a widespread popular uprising to topple the ayatollah regime, but this plan failed completely.

"The threats of US President Donald Trump to destroy the country, alongside the harm inflicted on civilians, have sparked an unprecedented wave of nationalism across Iran."

According to the Foreign Affairs report, many Iranians, including veteran regime opponents who despised the leadership, are now furious at Washington and view the war as an attempt to erase their homeland. The funeral of Khamenei last July drew millions of mourners, and the local economy, pre-designed to withstand economic warfare, continues to supply basic food needs without severe shortages.

Counter-Strategy and Regional Aggression

Simultaneously, a unified front has formed at the top of the government. The new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promoted hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to key positions. Figures previously considered more moderate, such as President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, are also toeing the line. The message is clear: no surrender.

To achieve this, Tehran does not hesitate to use force. Iran continues to attack US bases in Jordan, Syria, and across the Persian Gulf, aiming to compel the United States to withdraw its forces from the region. Furthermore, it wages counter-economic warfare by targeting energy facilities in Qatar and the UAE, alongside Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, a critical route through which roughly 12 percent of global trade passes.