Efforts to encircle the resistance bloc within its borders
LONDON – In response to the transformations that could give Iran and its allies greater room to expand their influence, the United States and its allies are not standing idle. Another front in this confrontation involves attempts to weaken the resistance bloc from within and restrict the room for maneuver available to forces aligned with it in each country. The objective is to prevent Iran from fully taking advantage of the outcomes of the confrontation with the Israeli regime and the United States.
In this case, the aim is not necessarily to defeat Iran on the battlefield, but rather to obstruct its ability to translate its achievements into sustainable political and economic influence. For this reason, pressure is being directed towards Lebanon, Iraq, Iran's borders with neighboring countries, and relations between governments and local political forces. This opens up parallel internal fronts, alongside the military confrontation.
In Lebanon, one aspect of this strategy is the intensification of pressure on Hezbollah, attempts to restrict its freedom of movement, and efforts to push the Lebanese state towards taking measures targeting its weapons and military role. These measures are viewed as part of an attempt to encircle the bloc from all directions. In addition, to reduce its ability to influence the Lebanese and regional balance of power. The performance of the Lebanese authorities, amid external understandings and pressures, is also regarded as an influential factor in this equation.
The authorities' role is seen as serving American demands within what is referred to as the "framework agreement". The central idea here is that the confrontation is not taking place solely on the battlefield. It also extends to political institutions, decisions concerning the state's monopoly on weapons, and attempts to redefine Hezbollah's position within the Lebanese state and its relationship with the wider regional resistance front.
In Iraq, one of the main areas of pressure centers on demands that the Popular Mobilization Force's weapons be placed exclusively under state control. Furthermore, there are measures associated with restricting the PMF factions and other groups belonging to the resistance bloc. This also includes steps relating to the closure of the Iraqi border with Iran, as well as the possibility of provoking political and security disputes between Baghdad and Tehran.
These developments are attempts to weaken communication between the different components of the resistance bloc and reduce opportunities for coordination, supply and mutual influence. They may also serve to create divisions between Iran and its neighbors, at a time when Iran needs to preserve the widest possible network of regional relationships. In this context, the objective is not limited to changing the structure of Iraq's military institutions or reorganizing the relationship between the state and armed factions.
It may also extend to preventing Iran from transforming its regional position into a more stable network of cooperation. This strategy is based on opening multiple fronts of pressure against Iran, ensuring that the confrontation is not confined to its direct relationship with the United States and the Israeli occupation entity. Provoking disputes with neighboring countries, complicating border issues, and increasing pressure on Iran's allies within their own countries could force Iran to divide its attention and resources across several simultaneous fronts.
This highlights the importance of monitoring the relationship between domestic developments in Lebanon and Iraq, in addition to the broader course of the war. What may appear on the surface to be a domestic decision could, in certain circumstances, have regional consequences, extending far beyond the borders of the country in which it was taken. These are the American efforts, but do they reflect the reality on the ground? The answer is certainly no.
This is because the Israeli occupation entity has failed to achieve its declared objectives across all fronts of confrontation, while both America and the entity have failed in Iran. The chapter of the "New Middle East" has been closed forever. The chapter of "Greater Israel" has also been closed forever. The future will be defined by control over the strategic straits, and Iran and its allies will be the masters of this domain. Iran and its allies do not necessarily have to be the strongest power in the world, but they will be the most influential power in the world.
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