Iran rearms regionally as it gains leverage—CNN reports

Iran rearms regionally as it gains leverage—CNN reports

Iran has been ramping up its regional influence by rearming its proxies, despite ongoing negotiations with the United States over a new nuclear deal. According to CNN, Tehran's proxies are putting pressure on key points in the Middle East, including Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon. This strategy is aimed at rebuilding Iran's regional leverage, which has been eroded by recent Israeli military campaigns.

In Yemen, the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, ended months of calm by launching strikes on commercial ships in the Red Sea. This escalation comes as a vessel carrying 750 tons of Iranian weapons was intercepted, marking the largest seizure in the history of the Yemeni National Resistance Forces [1]. The Houthis have been using Iranian weaponry to target both Israel and commercial vessels, including a Greek-owned ship last week [1].

In Iraq, suspected Iran-backed groups have increased attacks on Western allies, destabilizing oil output in the Kurdish-controlled region. Five oil fields, including two operated by US companies, were hit after a spate of drone attacks [1]. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) blames these attacks on the Popular Mobilization Units, a predominantly Shiite Iranian-backed paramilitary force [1].

Lebanon's Hezbollah, Iran's key ally, has been severely weakened since October 2023. The group has lost its once-dominant influence and is facing growing internal and Western demands to disarm. Despite this, Iran has continued to attempt to rearm Hezbollah, with the Syrian government seizing several shipments of weapons bound for Lebanon [1].

Iran's determination to rearm its proxies reflects its strategy of using them as a deterrence tool. However, the effectiveness of these efforts has been questioned, as the proxies have not been able to protect Iran or achieve their stated missions. The regional source quoted by CNN questioned the purpose of Iran's rearming, noting that the weapons have not brought Iran any closer to its goals [1].

The US, for its part, has not shown any signs of being willing to make major compromises in the ongoing negotiations with Iran. The US Central Command intercepted a massive Iranian weapons shipment destined for the Houthis, marking the largest seizure in the history of the Yemeni National Resistance Forces [1].

The ongoing rearming of Iran's proxies highlights the complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East and the challenges posed by the region's various conflicts. As negotiations between the US and Iran continue, the future of Iran's regional influence and the effectiveness of its proxy strategy remain uncertain.

References:
[1] CNN. (2025, July 19). Iran rearm proxies as US talks stall. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/19/middleeast/iran-rearm-proxies-us-talks-stall-intl