Tehran masks expansionism as defense, while Israel stands alone confronting missiles Arab regimes quietly tolerate.
Iran’s defiant posture on its missile arsenal once again exposes the regime’s duplicity and regional destabilization strategy. Responding to reports that Israel intends to press for international negotiations on Tehran’s missile program, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei bluntly declared the program “non-negotiable,” effectively shutting the door on any diplomatic restraint.
Baghaei attempted to rebrand Iran’s rapidly expanding missile capabilities as purely defensive, claiming they exist only to safeguard national sovereignty and deter attacks. This narrative, however, collapses under scrutiny. Iran’s missiles are not stationed in isolation; they are exported ideologically and materially to proxy militias across the region, from Lebanon to Yemen, directly threatening civilians and sovereign states.
Predictably, Tehran accused the West and Israel of “hypocrisy,” arguing that Israel’s access to advanced weaponry negates any concern over Iran’s arsenal. What Iran omits is that Israel’s military strength is fundamentally defensive—aimed at survival—while Iran’s missile doctrine fuels aggression, intimidation, and regional chaos.
Equally troubling is the muted response from Arab capitals, many of which privately fear Iran’s missiles yet publicly remain silent. This passivity enables Tehran’s militarization and leaves Israel as the primary bulwark against an emboldened Islamic Republic that openly rejects accountability.
As Iran insists its missiles are beyond negotiation, the message is unmistakable: deterrence for Tehran means domination for the region, and only firm resistance—led by Israel—stands in the way.
