The recent Israeli-American aggression against Iran backfired by strengthening national unity and shifting international public opinion in Iran’s favor, according to an analyst.
In an interview with the Press TV website, Mohsen Pakaeen, a former Iranian diplomat and international relations expert, said the unprovoked aggression, rather than weakening Iran, has galvanized its people and enhanced the country’s standing on the global stage.
“An important achievement was the unity and cohesion that emerged in our country in the face of foreign aggression,” he said.
Pakaeen highlighted how the unlawful and unjustified US attack on the country’s peaceful nuclear facilities crystallized public perception of America’s hostility.
“The US attack on Iran clearly demonstrated to the Iranian people who their real enemy is. Perhaps some people previously did not believe or imagine that the US was hostile, but now there is a clear sense that the main enemy is the US, which seeks to force the people into submission and secure all its own interests,” he stated.
This shift in awareness has galvanized Iranians, uniting them against a common adversary, he added, noting that Iran’s position was bolstered internationally, an unexpected but significant gain.
“In international forums, we had the upper hand, and the global community completely opposed the illegal actions of the United States and Israel,” Pakaeen remarked.
“In places we could not have imagined, people took to the streets in support of Iran.”
Iran’s missile attacks as a deterrent
On Iran’s military response, Pakaeen underscored its dual role as both offensive and defensive.
“Iran’s response to Israel’s attacks was both offensive and deterrent, and the clear evidence of this is that it was the other side that requested a ceasefire and announced it would halt its aggression against Iran,” he told the Press TV website.
He detailed the destruction inflicted on strategic Israeli cities, Ashkelon and Eilat, already hit hard during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas and Yemeni forces, as well as Haifa and Tel Aviv, which suffered extensive damage in True Promise operations last year.
“When one tower was hit, it caused a domino effect, damaging other towers. The industrial and research infrastructure was also targeted by Iran’s attacks, which ultimately led to the US intervening,” he elaborated.
Pakaeen argued that the US intervention was a direct outcome of Iran’s success.
“If Iran’s operations were not deterrent and Israel had the upper hand in the war, the US would certainly not have attacked Iran, because for Trump himself it would have been very costly. This was contrary to Trump’s election slogans, and naturally, Iran’s response was very tough for them,” he observed, emphasizing the strategic impact of Iran’s retaliatory actions.
Iran prepared for attacks on nuclear facilities
Pakaeen said the losses from the aggression were inevitable but maintained Iran’s overall dominance.
“When a war occurs, both sides inevitably suffer losses, and both sides also achieve victories and gains. As I mentioned, in this war, Iran had the upper hand. Naturally, the loss of great commanders who were experts in their field, as well as nuclear scientists and civilians, is a significant tragedy for the country,” he said.
Yet, he stressed Iran’s missile superiority during the war, which stunned the world.
“Regarding Iran’s missile sites, we saw a new type of missile and employment of new tactics every day until the last day. In terms of missiles, the regime’s defense systems were rendered completely ineffective,” he noted.
Regarding nuclear facilities, Pakaeen emphasized that Iran was well-prepared for those attacks.
“Given the precautions taken in advance, anticipating that both the terrorist regime and the US would engage in such malicious acts, the necessary preparations were made,” he said.
“The main nuclear facilities were transferred to secure locations, and the damaged facilities and buildings are repairable.”