Iran’s resilience challenges U.S.-backed Zionism amid Global South solidarity
By willowt // 2025-06-24
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  • Israel’s surprise military strike against Iran fails, with Iranian forces retaliating to inflict critical damage on Israeli infrastructure.
  • The war disrupts the myth of Israeli military invincibility, unifying Iranians in support of their state amid widespread civilian casualties.
  • BRICS nations and the Global South view Iran as a bulwark against Western hegemony, solidifying strategic alliances.
  • The conflict risks engulfing global powers, with Russia and China likely to retaliate against U.S.-led escalation.
  • U.S. involvement deepens domestic political fractures and intensifies calls for diplomacy by global economic allies.
On June 20, Israel launched a high-stakes military campaign against Iran, invoking shock-and-awe tactics to cripple its nuclear infrastructure and destabilize the regime. The blitzkrieg-style operation targeted key sites in Tehran and beyond, including the Rafael weapons complex and Haifa’s sole oil refinery, with initial gains in disrupting Iran’s communications grid. But within hours, Iranian engineers reestablished command-and-control systems, leveraging “enhanced intelligence” to counterstrike. Over the next 72 hours, Iranian precision missiles crippled air and sea ports in Israel, paralyzing trade and electricity grids. Haifa, Israel’s northern economic hub, faced catastrophic damage, while Tel Aviv’s perception of imperial might began to crumble. “Unleashing hell from above doesn’t win wars,” said Pepe Escobar, analyzing the imbalance of outcomes. “Iran has proved its resilience isn’t a myth.” The campaign’s failure starkly demonstrated Israel’s overreach: Its highly touted Iron Dome defense systems were penetrated, weakening its military credibility. Meanwhile, the toll on Israel’s economy — limited infrastructure, reliance on sole energy assets — highlighted vulnerabilities that decades of preemptive strike rhetoric had obscured.

The people’s fight: Iranian unity defies regime change fantasies

While Israeli strategists miscalculated battlefield dynamics, Iran’s domestic landscape experienced its own seismic shift. “Four years ago, Iranians were divided between the state and protesters,” recounted Nahid Poureisa in Al Mayadeen, “Now, after Israeli bombs, the divide has healed.” Scenes of Tehran’s Azadi Square, where women shed hijabs to sing patriotic songs, underscored a reversal in public sentiment. Social media campaigns to defend the state surged, as citizens condemned collaborationist outlets like Iran International and embraced resistance imagery — such as female anchor Sahar Emami, who stayed on air despite mortar fire. On commuter trains, Poureisa observed younger Iranians, once champions of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, now prioritizing survival against external threats. “The state and people are united in survival,” said one rider. “Before, we thought the regime was our enemy. Now we see they’re our enemy,” she said, gesturing toward Haifa’s plumes of smoke. The human cost was immense. Over 1,200 Iranian civilians and 350 Israeli civilians were killed in the opening salvo, according to UN estimates. Yet within Iran, grief and resolve intertwined. “Every time they try to kill us, we grow stronger,” declared the late Ayatollah Khomeini’s 1981 vow, resurrected by civilians and militants alike.

The BRICS bunker: Iran’s role as shield of the Global South

The conflict swiftly transformed into a proxy war for multipolar power. With Russia’s complicity under scrutiny (after evidence of Israeli sabotage of its bombers) and China’s stakes in Iranian energy exports, Beijing and Moscow signaled retaliatory readiness. A July BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, led by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is anticipated to formalize alliances defending Iran. “This is not a nuclear issue — it’s a pivot point for global order,” explained Escobar. “Destroying Iran means unraveling BRICS’ economic lifelines.” Simultaneously, the U.S. found itself increasingly isolated. President Trump’s admission that he greenlit the Israeli operation — after grasping defeat exposed divisions within his MAGA base — highlighted domestic fractures. Even die-hard allies like Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to Iran, highlighted Tehran’s threat to American interests during pre-war talks but now face a reality where containment of Iran has spiraled into regional destabilization. “The U.S. entered this war to contain Beijing and Moscow,” said analyst Greg Grandin. “Now it risks fuels their unification.”

The road to multipolar conflict — or peace?

The conflict raises existential questions about global leadership.
  • Nuclear risks: Israeli threats to replicate the “Beirut model” — systematic civilian targeting in Tehran — contrast with fears Iran could retaliate asymmetrically, including against U.S. bases. Analysts warn of unintended escalation toward nuclear exchanges.
  • Economic ripple effects: Global oil markets face historic volatility, with the Strait of Hormuz closure now conceivable. India, Turkey and Egypt — BRICS partners — have hinted at military readiness if vital shipping lanes close.
  • U.S. overreach: Trump’s military spectacle — contrasting his 2022 silence on Ukraine — exacerbates U.S. liabilities in Europe and Asia. “He thought Iran would collapse,” said Escobar. “Instead, the empire of chaos frayed further.”
Historically, Israel’s geopolitical gambits — such as arming Hamas in the 1970s — have backfired spectacularly. This time, Iran’s preparation and alliances may make its fall impossible—and increase calls for diplomacy.

A bipolar crossroads?

The Israel-Iran conflict exposes a world in flux. For decades, policymakers viewed Iran as the fragile bulwark of anti-Western “resistance.” Yet here, in its hour of need, Iran emerged as a catalyst for Global South resilience. As rockets replaced rhetoric, alliances of necessity took form—not least among Russia, China and Brazil, who now see Tehran as essential to a multipolar balance. The alternative? A path paved with hubris leading to broader annihilation. “What began as Israel’s moment will end as the world’s reckoning,” said one Iranian analyst. “Because in this chaos—there are no winners.” Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com MROnline.org SputnikGlobe.com
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