The Iranian Leadership, Like Russia’s Putin, Is Not Aware that Iran Is in a War that Is an Existential Threat
Paul Craig Roberts
We can see Iran’s failure to understand it is at war in the July 13 statement by the Iranian Army’s Public Relations Department. The statement describes Iran’s latest tit for the American tat as a “proportionate response” and promises even stronger tits for future American tats. https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/07/13/772194/Iranian-Army-delivers-crushing-blows–US-terror-bases-in-Kuwait-turned-into-infernos
If Iran understood that she is in an existential war, there would be no functioning US bases or ships in the Persian Gulf. There would be a war plan to terminate the existence of Israel, which is Israel’s intention for Iran, and to terminate all US presence in the vicinity. Instead, like Putin, Iran plays tit-for-tat while the war widens. If Russian S-400 air defense systems are distributed to US allies in the Gulf Oil Sheikdoms, Iran’s dominance will be at an end. Waiting, as Iran and Putin do, while the enemy overcomes your advantage is the most fatal error that can be made. Iran, like Putin, is making this error. The Chinese are making the same fatal error. China cannot keep its distance from hegemonic claims that creep closer day by day. The widening war in the Middle East is a direct consequence of the failure of Russia and China to create with Iran a mutual security agreement.
There Are Two Ever-Widening Wars Bringing the World to Its Armageddon Moment
Paul Craig Roberts
https://paulcraigroberts.org/there-are-two-ever-widening-wars-bringing-the-world-to-its-armageddon-moment/