With the US striking its nuclear program directly, Iran’s worst nightmare has come to pass.
And it was Tehran itself that set into motion the stunning reversal of its own fortunes that began on October 7, 2023.
After the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, Iran worked to expand its regional influence, using tens of billions of dollars freed up by the removal of sanctions to fund its proxy network dominating Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
While it enjoyed the cash influx, Iran also saw plenty of wiggle room under the JCPOA. The agreement did not force Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, did not address Tehran’s ballistic missiles and support of terrorism, and had a series of key restrictions that were set to begin to expire in summer 2025.
Meanwhile, it built up highly capable armies on Israel’s borders, while it provided more distant actors — Shiite militias in Iraq and Houthis in Yemen — new capabilities that allowed them to threaten the Jewish state as well.
One of those proxies, Hamas, triggered the snowballing chain of disasters that has turned into an avalanche for the Islamic Republic.
Published originally on June 22, 2025.
Read the full article at the Times of Israel.
