Researcher: War on Iran aims to reshape Middle East

The Middle East is witnessing increasing tension and escalation as a result of ongoing attacks launched by and the against . These attacks have targeted most strategic areas, military sites, and key figures, reportedly killing several leaders, most notably Iran’s Supreme Leader .

In response, Iran continues retaliatory strikes by launching missiles toward Israeli cities and U.S. bases in Gulf states and Iraq.

Redrawing the Middle East

Speaking to our agency, Egyptian researcher said that what is happening in the Middle East is a consequence of the events of October 7, 2024. He argued that the United States and its key ally Israel seek to redesign the Middle East in a way that safeguards U.S. and allied security interests.

He added that within this new geopolitical engineering, Washington aims to eliminate what it considers the Iranian threat. He referred to the June 2025 confrontation, when Israel launched missile strikes on Iran, followed by the current escalation that reportedly led to the killing of the Supreme Leader and several Iranian officials.

Weakening the Regime, Not Toppling it

On the objectives of the attacks, Adib stated that the goal is not necessarily to overthrow the regime, but rather to weaken, discipline, or pressure it into accepting well-known American conditions related to dismantling Iran’s nuclear project, eliminating its ballistic missile program, and curbing its regional influence.

He argued that the objective of Washington and Israel is not regime change, noting that while Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed, Iranian President was not targeted.

Adib said the assassinations of multiple Iranian leaders have undoubtedly weakened the regime and may serve as a message that Tehran must accept U.S. conditions or risk total regime collapse. He described the strikes as a form of deterrence that could produce short-term results in pushing Iran toward compliance.

Iranian Shift Toward De-escalation

Adib believes the war could end within one to two weeks. He argued that just as the United States and Israel were able to initiate the conflict, they are also capable of stopping it. According to his assessment, the conflict may continue briefly to intensify pressure on Iran until it agrees to fully dismantle its nuclear reactor, eliminate its ballistic missile program, and scale back its regional proxy networks.

He further stated that the war significantly affects the Middle East and allied countries, pointing to Iran’s escalating tensions with Gulf states and its targeting of approximately 15 U.S. bases in the Gulf. In his view, this could lead to a reassessment of political and diplomatic alliances in response to Iran’s recent actions.

ANHA