In 1955, while speaking against colonialism, President Sukarno, the founder of the Non-Aligned Bandung Conference, said in his inaugural address: “Some parts of our nations are not yet free. That is why all of us cannot feel that the goal of freedom has been achieved. No people can feel themselves as free if part of their motherland is not free. Like peace, freedom is indivisible. There is no such thing as half free, as there is no such thing as half alive.”

The ongoing war in Iran is no ordinary war by any account. The assembly of an armada around Iran by both America and Israel has been unprecedented since the World War. The first wave of attack by more than a thousand aircraft and Tomahawk cruise missiles was unprecedented; the precision and accuracy of the attack were again unprecedented, and so were the casualties among top Iranian civil and military leadership. However, the resolve and response by Iranians were far beyond the expectations of the aggressor, who thought Tehran would fall in 48 hours after suffering such crippling and decapitating aerial attacks. Never in modern history have the lines been drawn so clearly between Islam versus Jews and Christians. Never has there been such exemplary sacrifice by any modern leadership in more than a century as seen from Iranian leadership; never in recent history have we seen the resolve of a people and a nation so united, and lastly, an inferior military resisting and subduing a dominant power.

For the first time, the mightiest superpower is looking for an exit strategy and struggling with its war objectives. For the first time, Israel’s invincibility is shattered; it is facing resolute resistance and a ferocious asymmetric response from a nation that had been devastated by economic sanctions, unprecedented bombing, military encirclement and diplomatic isolation. For the first time, we have seen a Muslim country standing firm against a hegemon and showing the true spirit of suffering and sacrifice. For the first time, Gulf countries have started to realise the weakness of their foundation and their inability to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity by outsourcing billions of dollars in air defence to the United States. For the first time, American imperialism and Israeli Zionism have been so bluntly exposed, and clear lines have been drawn. For the first time, as a Muslim, I can see my faith growing stronger.

This war has been very different from that of Gaza, Libya, Iraq and Syria, and also from the two skirmishes with India in February 2019 and May 2025. The difference in technology and the number of weapons is vast. The military and intelligence strength of both Israel and America is among the mightiest in the history of mankind, as are their economic and diplomatic muscles. However, their assessment of the enemy, war strategy and endgame remains flawed and erroneous. There are always intangible factors that cannot be measured in the fog and friction of war and can dictate the outcome. Both America and Israel control the global narrative and have employed every element of national power, from diplomacy to economy, military to media, and narrative-building by the mightiest powerhouses to UN intimidation. Yet, in the end, the support of the Iranian people has made their leadership stronger and more confident as the war progresses.

There are many pertinent lessons for those who are living in glass houses. There are many stories that will emerge after the war is over, when the dust settles and the conflict reaches a logical conclusion, but this event will certainly change the world order and might prove to be a Waterloo for many. Since the Second World War, we have seen the end of colonialism, but the rivalry of the two superpowers during the Cold War saw brutal applications of power, unjust intelligence operations and ruthless regime changes. America, in order to curtail socialism and assert capitalism, while projecting a soft power image through CNN, Voice of America and Hollywood, inflicted unprecedented pain and war crimes to install anti-communist regimes or dictators for control across the globe. Brazil 1955, Chile, Nicaragua, Mossadegh in Iran, the 1977 martial law in Pakistan, the 1965 massacre in Jakarta and the placement of General Suharto in Indonesia, the Vietnam War and regime change in the Philippines—almost all these governments were either made compliant through authoritarian rule or brutal regime change, and war crimes were committed on the pretext of freedom and democracy, essentially to serve American interests. This imperialistic mentality remains visible in its ugliest form even today.

We see the whole Middle East burning, unprovoked bombing in Gaza and Lebanon, Venezuela’s president being abducted, Iran bombed, and the entire Muslim world under siege to facilitate Greater Israel. Iran’s resistance and diplomatic engagement with regional powers have exposed American imperialist design and a selective rules-based order. Both Israel and America have no justification for this unjust war, which has embroiled neighbouring and regional countries and rendered the United Nations irrelevant. Today, if a fair poll were conducted, almost 90 per cent of the Muslim population and a majority of the world in general would favour Iran’s stance and want Iran to win.

Another important lesson has been the resolve and unity of the Iranian people and the spirit of leadership to sacrifice. These two aspects have defeated state-of-the-art technology and military might. Though the Iranian military and IRGC are well organised with indigenous missile and drone technology and were well prepared for their defence, they are still facing the most powerful state-of-the-art weapons and deadliest aerial attacks from two ruthless military powers. On day 15 of the war, Iran’s leadership is not only confident while bleeding but has responded ferociously against American installations in neighbouring Gulf countries and Israeli military targets. War is not all about bombing from the air to change regime and break the will of the population; on the contrary, the Iranian stand is more united and motivated.

Air Marshal Aamir Masood (Retd)The Writer is a Defence Analyst.

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