Tehran's 'proxy' strategy failed, Iran has significant disadvantages - expert

Iran expert Jaber Rajabi said that Iran has not managed to achieve major goals despite its extreme declarations.

 Protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, hold firearms next to a poster of assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, at the rally to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen, August 2, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File Photo)
Protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, hold firearms next to a poster of assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, at the rally to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen, August 2, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File Photo)

Experts on Iran told Saudi Arabia's Al Hadath news channel on Monday that they believed Tehran's strategy of unifying different fronts against Israel has failed since October 7.

Iran expert Jaber Rajabi said that Iran has not managed to achieve major goals despite its extreme declarations. Rajabi pointed out that Israel possesses advanced military equipment, including fifth-generation fighter jets and advanced defense systems, that can efficiently address any Iranian threat.

While Iran and its allies have formulated military plans in recent years against other, less advanced adversaries, going head-to-head with Israel is a different matter entirely.

Rajabi explained that the IDF has extensive experience in various wars. Meanwhile, Iran and its proxies rely on guerrilla warfare and irregular conflicts for their training. He also noted Israel's relationship with the US, a global superpower.

Conversely, Iran is suffering from severe economic issues and is preoccupied with dealing with neighboring countries. Additionally, Iran does not enjoy strong international support due to previous conflicts, and even China and Russia tend to avoid intervening in these conflicts, according to Rajabi.

 Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel, October 9, 2023.  (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN/FILE PHOTO)
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel, October 9, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN/FILE PHOTO)

Israeli intelligence

Rajabi also emphasized Israel's intelligence expertise, asserting that Israel has the ability to identify and thwart any threat before it occurs thanks to its intelligence network, while Iranian intelligence mechanisms have suffered several setbacks, breaches, and failures in protecting senior figures.

Israel has also demonstrated superiority in carrying out covert operations that have reduced the power of its adversaries, while Iran's attempts to target Israeli objectives in third-party countries often fail, according to Rajabi.