The Art of Warfighting in the Iranian Perspective
WANA (Mar 11) – War is not defined merely by its beginning or its end, nor is it limited to tactics and destruction. In many historical perspectives, war has been viewed as a form of crisis management—an art whose objective is to guide conflict toward a stable and controllable outcome. In Iran’s several-thousand-year history, some examples illustrate this approach.
One well-known case followed the Battle of Chaldiran (a 1514 battle between Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire in which the Ottomans prevailed largely due to their superior use of firearms). Years later, Abbas the Great (the Safavid ruler of the early 17th century known for major military reforms and reorganising Iran’s army), reshaped the military structure and strategy. Despite sometimes commanding fewer troops in later confrontations, he managed to alter the balance of power in conflicts with the Ottoman Empire (a major regional empire and long-standing rival of Iran).
Within this framework, modern warfare is not seen solely as a contest of advanced technology such as drones, missiles, or fighter jets. The management of escalation and the sequencing of actions on the battlefield are also central components.
In the early stages of the current conflict, a significant portion of drone and missile operations reportedly focused on logistical infrastructure as well as radar and air-defence systems associated with U.S. positions in several countries in the region. At the same time, the accuracy and impact rate of some heavy missiles have reportedly increased, enabling strikes on targets inside Israel.
People attend a gathering to support Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Regionally, several actors are involved in the broader dynamics of the conflict. Hezbollah (a Lebanese political and armed group that has been involved in confrontations with Israel since the 1980s) has engaged in clashes along the Lebanon–Israel border.
In Iraq, armed groups have targeted U.S. military bases, and the possible involvement of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (a coalition of Iraqi paramilitary groups formed in 2014 to fight ISIS) in ground confrontations has been discussed.
In Yemen, the Houthi movement (an armed movement active in Yemen’s ongoing conflict) has the capacity to influence maritime routes near the Bab-el-Mandeb (a strategic chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and a vital corridor for global trade).
Another critical strategic location is the Strait of Hormuz (a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which a substantial share of the world’s oil exports passes). Control over shipping traffic in this strait can have a direct impact on global energy markets and oil prices.
A central element in this approach is the careful management of escalation, calibrating responses proportionally to an opponent’s actions. This strategic management is particularly associated with Iran’s former leader, Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was credited with designing this method of orchestrating conflict.
In this view, war is not merely a sequence of military operations but a process of timing, decision-making, and escalation management—an approach often described as the “art of warfighting.”
US Energy Secretary Deletes Hormuz Escort Claim After Firm IRGC Response
WANA (Mar 10) – A claim by the U.S. energy secretary that an oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. Navy escort was quickly withdrawn after a strong reaction from Iranian military officials. The episode began when Chris Wright posted on X that “an oil tanker escorted by the U.S. Navy […]
