US Air Strikes on Iran Backfired, Says Top Analyst

The United States’ recent air strikes against Iran have strengthened Tehran’s position and failed to trigger the internal revolt Washington had hoped for, according to a leading foreign policy expert. Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice-president of the Quincy Institute, a Washington-based think tank, said the strikes have handed Iran a strategic advantage. Parsi, a specialist in US-Iranian relations and Middle East geopolitics, argued that the military action has unified Iran’s leadership and public opinion against an external threat, rather than encouraging domestic unrest. “The strikes did not produce the desired effect,” said Parsi, who has written four books on US foreign policy in the region. “Instead of weakening Iran, they have given the government a reason to rally support and justify further resistance.” Parsi, who was born in Iran and later moved to Sweden and then the United States, added that Washington’s approach has failed to account for how Iranian politics respond to foreign aggression. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus.