Pakistani writer says U.S. failure strengthened Iran’s regional power
In an article published by Dawn, economist Khurram Hussain argues that Iran is emerging as a major force in West Asia after the conflict reached a stalemate around the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistani economist and writer Khurram Hussain wrote in Dawn that Iran’s regional power has grown after the United States and Israel failed to achieve their stated military objectives, arguing that Tehran is emerging as a major force in West Asia. He also predicted a turbulent reintegration of Iran into the international system and said Tehran would seek compensation from Gulf states.
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani economist and writer Khurram Hussain has argued that Iran’s regional influence has been strengthened by what he described as the failure of the United States and Israel to achieve all their military objectives in a conflict that has reached a stalemate around the Strait of Hormuz.
In an article titled “The Rise of Iran,” published in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, Hussain wrote that the next phase would begin after the United States leaves the region, when Arab governments face the political and economic consequences of the war.
Hussain said Iran, after decades of sanctions and threats of war, was emerging as a major regional power. He compared the development with China’s experience after détente, when Beijing’s return to the international community and subsequent domestic reforms helped propel it toward global-power status.
The writer said Iran’s reintegration into the international system would be more turbulent than China’s, because Tehran had had to resist what he called imposed isolation since the Islamic Revolution.
Hussain also claimed that Iran would maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz and press for compensation from Gulf states for losses related to the war. He said the United States might eventually conclude that continuing the dispute no longer served its interests, leaving Gulf governments to bear the cost.
He described Iran’s emergence as a major regional power as an irreversible process, while acknowledging that another catastrophic move by the U.S.-Israeli coalition could not be completely ruled out, though he considered such a scenario unlikely.
The assessments and predictions were presented by Hussain in an opinion article and were not independently verified in the source material.