This alleged divine victory, which the mullahs’ regime insists on attributing to itself and its proxies, relies heavily on deception aimed at those who believe everything they hear. Throughout the ongoing war, Iran has never stopped claiming one divine victory after another, even portraying the United States’ success in recovering its pilots stranded in Iranian territory as a defeat for America and a victory for the Iranian regime.
This flawed theory of assessing war results has brought widespread devastation upon the Iranian people. Iran’s octopus-like proxies across the region mirror Tehran’s narratives, claiming successive divine victories and portraying their enemies as defeated or losers. On the other hand, the Iranian regime also employs a strategy of feigned intelligence, often accompanied by a subtle admission of defeat.
The article written by Mohammad Javad Zarif and recently published in the Foreign Affairs Magazine offers a realistic portrayal of this admission of defeat and reflects Tehran’s plea. We all know that within the Iranian regime, no one is allowed to speak without the approval of those referred to in Tehran as the “Guardians of the State.” Zarif served as the vice president under Masoud Pezekhan. His talk of victory is therefore merely a glittering facade, concealing Iran’s acceptance of the 15 American demands. He spoke of a “comprehensive settlement” and a tactical “declaration of victory” for Iran, while the majority of the article focused on an exchange of concessions. This aligns perfectly with the Gulf proverb, “It’s broken, yet cooling.”
Reading what former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wrote about the major reforms Iran urgently needs, even though the war is not yet over, suggests that the Iranian regime has changed. By the end of the war, all facts will be revealed. The world is indeed watching the countdown to the deadline set by US President Donald Trump, which expires on Wednesday. However, we must recall what happened in 1988.
Back then, when Khomeini realized the regime was on the verge of collapse, he willingly swallowed the bitter pill by accepting UN Resolution No. 598. Although this acceptance was a tacit admission of defeat, he framed it as a “divine victory.” Today, there is no doubt that not only the Iranian regime but Iran as a whole is under threat. Stubbornness and defiance can no longer transform defeat into victory. It is well known that the outcomes of wars are revealed only after a ceasefire.
Considering the social and cultural consequences of the mullahs’ rule over the past five decades, and analyzing the results of discriminatory policies targeting ethnic and sectarian groups in Iran, there is no doubt that the new Iran will experience waves of separatism.
