In a compelling analysis on Al Mayadeen’s The Great Standoff, Professor Mohammad Marandi and former Pentagon analyst Michael Maalouf dissected the enduring resilience of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the unwavering cohesion of the Axis of Resistance, and the deepening strategic and economic crises facing the United States and the Zionist entity. The discussion highlighted how Iranian unity has shattered Western illusions while exposing the utter complicity and failure of US-aligned regional regimes.
Iranian Unity: The Ultimate Deterrent
Both analysts emphasised that the internal cohesion of the Iranian people has proven to be the ultimate deterrent against US and Zionist aggression. Professor Marandi dismantled the narrative promoted by Takfiri and US-aligned regimes, which seeks to portray Iran’s diverse demographics as a vulnerability. Recalling an encounter with a Gulf think-tank director who had traveled through Iran’s Kurdish and southeastern provinces, Marandi noted the official’s admission that Sunni Muslims in Iran enjoy significantly more freedom and rights than those in his own US-aligned country.
This internal solidarity was on full display during the recent 12-Day War and subsequent infiltration attempts. Marandi highlighted that the province of Kurdistan recorded the highest number of citizen reports to intelligence agencies, demonstrating profound grassroots cooperation.
Michael Maalouf reinforced this, noting that the US and Zionist regimes—specifically citing Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu—had foolishly calculated that external military attacks would trigger an internal uprising. Instead, the aggression only solidified national unity. “If it weren’t for the unity of the Iranian people, the government would have fallen,” Maalouf stated, confirming that external pressure has only unified the Iranian populace.
The Axis of Resistance vs. Complicit Arab Regimes
Drawing a sharp contrast, Marandi condemned the inaction of regional governments, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, and Jordan. “None of them are doing anything to save the Palestinians. None of them are sacrificing,” he declared. He argued that these regimes facilitate US military operations by providing airspace, bases, and funding, while simultaneously attempting to undermine the Resistance through distorted narratives.
The true burden of defending Palestine and Lebanon, Marandi and Maalouf stressed, falls entirely on the Axis of Resistance. Marandi invoked the historic and ongoing sacrifices of the Resistance, pointing to the blood of martyred leaders like Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Ali Khamenei as the ultimate testament to Iran and Hezbollah’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Regarding Lebanon, the analysts delivered a scathing critique of the installed Lebanese government. Marandi described the government’s diplomatic capitulations as a “rare gift” to Netanyahu at a time when global opinion is turning against the Zionist entity. Maalouf was equally blunt, asserting that the Lebanese army is “dead on arrival” and that Hezbollah remains the only active force defending Lebanon’s territorial integrity against the Zionist occupation. Maalouf affirmed that Iran will not abandon Lebanon, warning that the Axis is fully prepared to take the necessary measures to punish the Zionist entity for its atrocities.
The Strait of Hormuz and the Economic Collapse of Gulf Proxies
The discussion also exposed the severe economic vulnerabilities of the Persian Gulf states. Marandi warned that the economies of US-aligned Gulf nations are in a state worse than stagnation due to their total reliance on oil and gas exports amid regional instability. He noted that Iran and Oman maintain firm control over the management of the Strait of Hormuz, immune to US pressure.
In a stark warning to Gulf monarchies, Marandi stated that their complicity in the war against Iran would be their undoing. “Ironically, the strangulation that the U.S. Treasury Secretary has been speaking about will bring about their fall, not the fall of anyone else,” he said.
Maalouf debunked Trump’s claims of US naval dominance in the Gulf, calling the assertion that the US Navy is escorting commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz a “lie.” He pointed out that the US military initiative has failed, forcing Washington into a desperate economic war that is backfiring. The resulting commodity disruptions are driving up diesel prices and crippling the US trucking industry, effectively bringing the American economy “to a grinding halt.”
Western Institutions Stripped of Credibility
Both analysts concluded that Western institutions, particularly the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have lost all credibility in Tehran and the broader Global South. Marandi condemned the IAEA for its long-documented history of funnelling intelligence to Western and Zionist spy agencies. Furthermore, the agency has repeatedly verified Iran’s nuclear facilities as peaceful, yet failed to condemn the US and Zionist military strikes against them.
Maalouf echoed this sentiment, criticising the IAEA’s blatant double standards regarding the Zionist regime’s undeclared nuclear arsenal. He argued that Western media and institutions are increasingly rejected by global audiences who can see through the official narratives. “No one trusts the Western media because we see things with our own eyes,” Maalouf concluded, noting that the resulting loss of trust has left the Trump administration with abysmal credibility and collapsing approval ratings.
Reference: Al-Mayadeen