Boasting of Destruction

The boasting by the Secretary-General of the Iranian Maritime Shipping Union over the disruption of Gulf ports was nothing more than a reflection of a mentality that treats causing harm as a political achievement, even when the consequences rebound far more severely upon Iran itself. This chain of pride, gloating, and vindictiveness reveals political shallowness and exposes a deep-rooted hatred that has grown over time — beginning with the pride taken in claiming control over four Arab capitals, and extending to yesterday’s statements by Balami, as a figure within a militia that expanded by spawning subordinate proxy militias loyal to the Supreme Leader across much of the Arab world. Their objective has been to confiscate political decision-making, subjugate peoples, and strip nations of their sovereignty, led by Iran’s “Party of Satan” in Lebanon.

For this reason, the peaceful and stable peoples of the world increasingly view the possibility of escalation with optimism, while growing uneasy at the prospect of agreements — for rational reasons and logical justifications. Chief among them is the firm belief that the Iranian regime, founded upon a terrorist ideology centered on exporting revolution, threatening innocent lives, and destabilizing neighboring countries under false and misleading slogans, responds only to deterrence. It neither recognizes development and stability, nor understands the value of humanity. It does not regard dialogue as a path to rapprochement, understands only the language of violence, repeats nothing but the rhetoric of revenge and destruction, and shows no respect for agreements or commitments.

The evidence lies in the Beijing Agreement, which unraveled — or nearly did — as a result of blatant and barbaric aggression against civilians and civilian infrastructure under flimsy pretexts. Yet that aggression shattered at the borders of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, rendered ineffective by prior preparedness, strong deterrence capabilities, and strategic restraint that eliminated the need for retaliation. This reinforced sound opinions against being dragged into a war that is not the war of peaceful regional states whose massive achievements prioritize development and elevate human dignity, to the extent of achieving a high quality of life for their own peoples and for those around the world who enjoy prosperity on their soil.

Meanwhile, backwardness has remained the defining behavior of a regime that squandered billions and wasted the achievements of the Iranian people in a project of igniting fires in all directions, driven by ideological hatred fueled by unjustified resentment. This has led to the isolation of a country whose land holds more than 200 billion barrels of oil, while its people live in deprivation, drowning in darkness, poverty, and isolation due to the militarization of Iran and the obsession of militia leaders with creating subordinate militias under the seductive illusion of ideological fantasies.

The targeted Gulf cities were barely affected by approximately 90% of Iran’s missiles and drones, and Gulf security stability did not suffer any meaningful disruption. No restrictive security measures were imposed that hindered normal daily life, despite the barrage of missiles and drones targeting civilians and civilian facilities. Life continued — and continues — as normal. Citizens and residents noticed none of the panic or disruption often seen in many countries under far less dangerous circumstances. This is the result of advanced defense systems, confidence backed by decisive military capabilities when necessary, and the reality that Iran — already weakened by its limited capabilities even before the Israeli attacks — is not a match for the Gulf states, despite the noise, propaganda, slogans, intimidation, and mobilization campaigns. The eight-year war remains a reminder not too distant in memory.

Perhaps it is worth reiterating the immense importance of collective security awareness in safeguarding nations and blocking the path before enemies and their collaborators among those consumed by reckless sectarianism. This comes amid growing hatred and the realization of the scale of hostility that has bewildered the world — hostility that has reached a point where nothing short of decisive deterrence can confront it. Yet there remains certainty that the Iranian people are capable — indeed eager — to emerge from this dark tunnel, reclaim their country, and focus on developing both land and people, as nations around the world strive to do. That day will inevitably come, and with it the page of the regime’s terrorism and its militias will be turned, just as the pages of its previous creations — “Al-Qaeda” and “داعش (ISIS)” — were turned before.