Iran is now openly pushing what it calls a “new regional system” — one designed to remove the US military presence from the Gulf, weaken the Abraham Accords, and place Tehran at the center of regional power.
The Iranian idea is simple: if US forces remain stationed in Gulf countries, Iran will keep targeting those countries and make the local populations blame Washington for bringing war to their doorstep.
Tehran believes that every strike on an American base, energy facility, or strategic site increases pressure on Gulf rulers to distance themselves from the US.
Iran also wants to present itself as the natural manager of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. In Tehran’s view, if Iran controls the security balance around the world’s most important energy route, foreign powers will think twice before operating there.