Try to imagine walking in the shoes of an Iranian policymaker.
In the early 1990s, Iran was instrumental in securing the release of American hostages in Lebanon, only to face betrayal. Later, during the Yugoslav wars, Iran aided U.S. efforts to arm Bosnian forces, but once again, was betrayed. This pattern repeated in the early 2000s when Iran helped the U.S. defeat Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, only to be let down yet again.
In 2015, Iran signed the nuclear deal with the P5+1, aiming for better relations and regional stability. But once more, Iran was betrayed. It wasn’t just U.S. politics that derailed progress—Arab neighbors and Israel worked in concert to block diplomatic success.
In 2019, Iran proposed the Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) to promote regional cooperation, but the initiative was met with silence.
Even after normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, and even as Iran's new president recently offered a new package of cooperation to Iran's neighbors, these nations seem eager to join the Abraham Accords—a partnership with Israel that undermines Iran’s security.
Over the past year, Iran stood alone in defending the Palestinian cause, bearing the costs while Arab nations remained "neutral." When Israel attacked Iran’s embassy in Syria, targeted its diplomats, officials, territory and interests, Arab neighbors offered only tepid responses.
Now, Israel, backed by U.S. military support, threatens a large-scale assault on Iran. Meanwhile, European nations impose sanctions on Iran for defending itself, as Arab countries remain passive and silent.
After all these experiences and observations, many in Iran have come to conclude that the country's very existence is the target of a coordinated plot and are calling to respond accordingly to any Israeli aggression.
A new sentiment is emerging in Iran: You are either with us, or with genocidal Israel.
https://twitter.com/RezaNasri1/status/1848080642413662681?t=MHovQSmik3ibkPhdaIQ4WA&s=19