Iran’s terror proxies and why the Ayatollah is untouchable

Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Badr Organization, the Al-Ashtar Brigades – these are just some of the terrorist groups that function as proxies of Iran’s Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei’s regime.

Since 1979, Iran’s terrorist proxies have wrought terror attacks and political upheavals in the Middle East. This includes the brutal assault on Israel last Oct. 07, 2023.

The Ayatollah’s reign of terror is driven by a mix of geopolitical, ideological and security objectives. They are: to destroy and eliminate the state of Israel and oppose western imperialism; to establish Iran as the leader of the global Shiite community and the broader Islamic world; to export Islamic Shia to the Middle East and beyond (Shia laws are based on extreme fundamentalist tenets which are both oppressive and violent); for Iran to become the dominant power in the Gulf; for Iran to be a nuclear power, thereby enabling her to project power worldwide; to upend the rule-based, free market, democratic system that was established by the United States and replace it with a world order that forwards the Iranian agenda (this is done in tandem with Russia, China and North Korea).

In pursuit of these objectives, the regime has resorted to multifaceted strategies. These include maintaining an iron grip on the home front. The Ayatollah maintains an iron grip on the domestic politics of Iran by maintaining strict control over all branches of government. Iran’s Guardian Council, a body appointed by the Ayatollah himself, vets candidates for political office, ensuring that only those loyal to the system are elected. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militia play the role of suppressing dissent and enforcing ideological loyalty within the country.

It uses a unifying rhetoric. The Ayatollah regime uses anti-US and anti-Israel rhetoric to galvanize domestic support and project its stance internationally. The Ayatollah refers to the US as the “Great Satan” and Israel as a “Zionist regime,” whilst positioning Iran as a leader in the resistance against western imperialism.

It destabilizes the region. Through its terrorist proxies, the regime destabilizes countries in the Middle East as it forwards Shia values. Simultaneously, it tries to undermine the influence of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the West.

It tries to project strength. Through its nuclear program, Iran seeks to establish itself as a global power able to influence international policies.

While the Philippines may be 8,000 miles away from Iran, we are still affected by the actions of the Ayatollah in profound ways. It manifests itself in the proliferation of local terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF who are emboldened by Iran’s terrorist campaigns. In the disruption of supply chains that trigger price hikes of commodities. In the security threats faced by our OFWs in the Gulf. In heightened national security threats which exacerbate our domestic problems and territorial disputes with China.

For all the evil wrought by the Ayatollah’s terror strategies, surely, western powers led by the United States and Israel can easily quash the Ayatollah regime. After all, Iran’s relatively small economy and weaker military is no match to that of Israel and the US combined.

So why have they not eliminated Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime yet?

The answer lies in the Ayatollah leverage.

Ayatollah’s leverage and threats

You see, toppling Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime can be as easy as bombing the island of Kharg. Kharg is a small 20-square kilometer island in the Persian Gulf that serves as Iran’s most important oil export facility. Ninety percent of Iran’s oil exports pass here. Its revenues fund half of Iran’s national budget and most of its terrorist operations. Eliminating Kharg can cripple both the Iranian economy and its machine of terror.

But the Ayatollah has leverage over the US and Israel.

The Strait of Hormuz lies in the northern coast of Iran and is part of its exclusive economic zone. The Strait is where the majority of oil exports from Arab countries pass through. The Ayatollah has threatened to impose a blockade on the Strait should the Ayatollah regime be threatened and/or aggressive acts be waged on Iran. A blockade will immediately choke global oil supply and trigger a worldwide oil crisis.

A battalion of destroyer vessels need not even be deployed to impose this blockade. All Iran has to do is launch missiles at oil tankers and plant explosive mines on the waters, both of which are very well within Iran’s capabilities. Sheer fear of being hit by an Iranian missile or mine is enough to instill terror and render the strait unpassable.

In fact, in 2019, two oil tankers sank off the Gulf of Oman. The cause was said to be Iran’s simulation of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Even more serious is the Ayatollah’s threat to bomb the oil facilities of the Middle East. This includes those in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq and others. In one fell swoop, the Ayatollah can destroy the planet’s primary source of oil and cut the fuel that drives the global economy.

It will be recalled that in 2022, Houthi rebels attacked an oil depot in Jeddah ahead of a Formula 1 race. It was a statement of intent. The message? The Ayatollah’s regime will not hesitate to make good on its threats.

So the Ayatollah is holding the world hostage even as he wreaks terror in the Gulf. His threats have made him virtually untouchable – at least for now.

It will be interesting to see how events unfold from here. But if there is anything history has taught us, it is to never underestimate the determination, capability and innovation of the Israelis and Americans in war.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan