Iran's leadership redefines victory as survival under US and Israeli pressure
Updated
Updated · Foreign Policy · May 6
Iran's leadership redefines victory as survival under US and Israeli pressure
6 articles · Updated · Foreign Policy · May 6
President Masoud Pezeshkian, Ali Khamenei, Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have all framed endurance and refusal to surrender as success.
The report says this marks a strategic contraction from exporting revolution and reshaping the region to absorbing strikes, preserving the regime and avoiding collapse.
It argues Iran is increasingly adopting the logic of the proxy groups it long backed, prioritising persistence over decisive outcomes as US and Israeli military pressure continues.
By weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz, has Iran turned a military defeat into a strategic victory over the global economy?
As Gulf states question US protection, is China becoming the new indispensable power broker in the Middle East?
With costly defenses failing against cheap drones, has this war permanently changed the calculus of modern military conflict?
Iran in 2026: Supreme Leader Succession, Economic Meltdown, and the Battle for the Strait of Hormuz
Overview
In early 2026, Iran faced a dramatic shift as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died during U.S. and Israeli attacks, ending his long rule since 1989. His death created a major leadership vacuum with no clear successor, while the country was already under intense external pressure. The U.S. called on Iranians to seize this moment, but Iran’s leadership crisis deepened, especially after the earlier loss of President Raisi. Amid this turmoil, Iran’s strategy focused on survival and endurance, with real power consolidating in the hands of the security establishment, shaping the nation’s response to both internal unrest and external threats.