How Iran gained the strategic upper hand in the war with the US and Israel

By Jim Lamson, Visiting Research Fellow, Department of War Studies, King's College London
Matthew Moran, Professor of International Security, King's College London

After three months of war with two of the world’s most technologically and militarily advanced countries, Iran has proved far more resilient than anticipated. Indeed, strategically at least, Tehran appears to now have the upper hand in the conflict. How has this situation come about?

When the United States joined Israel to launch the latest war with Iran in late February 2026, the prognosis did not look good for the regime in Tehran.

In attacking Iran, the US and Israel set up a highly…

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