How Can the U.S. Respond to Iran?

By JOSEPH KIM ‘26

You have seen the headlines: Iran-backed groups killed three American military personnel. If you have been following the news, it should be apparent that violence unfortunately was not uncommon in the Middle East. From the Israel-Hamas war to the Yemeni Civil War, tracing down the origin of these bleak, bloody wars will lead you to one country: Iran. Iran has backed different groups in the Middle East, often attacking American allies or important American assets and interests in the region. Lately, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Iranian government have increased its military presence to ensure the country’s grasp on the region by supporting groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthi movement, and the Syrian government. As the sole superpower and the supposed “world police,” a question naturally springs to mind: what can the United States of America do?

  While Iran has been acting aggressively, the United States is slowly losing its grip on the region. The United States gave up control in the Syrian Civil War, lost its influence on Turkey, and practically surrendered Afghanistan to the Taliban. If the United States does not continue to aid its allies and assert its influence in the Middle East, it will allow the Iran-Russia-China Axis to sweep in and take control of the region. To maintain its grip on the Middle East, the United States needs to improve relations with allies and potential allies, invest more militarily in the Middle East, and encourage anti-Iran groups in the region.

As powerful as the United States is, it cannot curtail Iran’s power by itself. Turkey, a NATO member state with one of the most effective militaries in the world, has turned towards its own interests in the last few years; Turkey grew closer to Russia and distanced itself from the European Union. However, Turkish support against Syria, Hezbollah, the Iraqi government, and ultimately Iran would be vital in creating American-friendly governments in the region. Saudi Arabia has been very close to the United States and is essential for US interests. Rather than relying on oil from hostile countries such as Iran or Venezuela, the US can rely more on Saudi Arabian oil, with lowered prices of course. Another powerful country near Iran is Pakistan. Although Pakistan has had good relations with Iran, the recent skirmishes in Balochistan have slightly soured the bilateral relations. Pakistan and the United States share a common interest in taking down the Taliban, which not only controls neighboring Afghanistan but also has a presence inside Pakistan. An effort to alleviate hostilities between Pakistan and India and a helping hand against the Taliban may earn the United States a vital ally that may even become a bulwark against Iranian influence one day. 

While gaining allies in the region is very important, no material gains are achievable without utilizing hard power. A 2020 survey showed that 76% of Americans support maintaining or increasing military presence in the Middle East. However, rather than starting new wars, the United States can win the already-existing proxy wars in Syria, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip. Eliminating globalist jihadist movements is absolutely within American national security interests as well, and Iran happens to fund several such groups. It is important to note that American foreign policy has nothing to do with religion—it has everything to do with fighting terror and limiting Iran’s power and, therefore, China’s influence in the region. A show of military power, even without any active combat, can prove to be a powerful deterrence against violent attacks by Iran and Iran-backed groups. A way to show this military power without losing American lives is by supporting its most trusted allies with weapons to boost their war-ready armies. Even without directly provoking a conflict, weakening a country like Iran to the point where it cannot project its power into other countries is a crucial step from the current idle position the United States seems to be playing.

While combining trustworthy allies and military strength can effectively contain Iran’s power, the most effective tool would be internal dissatisfaction. Civil protests in 2022 and 2023 prove that Ali Khamenei’s government is not absolute. After seeing the fragility of Putin’s rule with the canceled Wagner coup, one can see a not-impossible parallel with Iran’s government. A friendly flip of the Iranian government would eliminate the necessity for anti-Iran military intervention in the Middle East. After all, the Iranian people are not a threat to the United States; the Iranian government is.

  Having established the importance of the Middle East, is it the most strategically important area in the world? Probably not. China is, by far, the most threatening and influential hostile country to the United States. At the same time, Iran is close to China. As Iran’s largest export and import partner and largest military provider, China maintains a hold on Iran’s political actions, and thus limiting Iran’s influence is innately limiting that of China because Iran serves as the Middle-Eastern branch of China’s sphere of influence. While more focus should be on East Asia than the Middle East, the United States government must not underestimate the latter. 

With the world turning to violence and conflict, the United States holds responsibility as a country that can set moral precedents for the rest of the world to follow. Successful foreign policy in the Middle East advances the interests of the democratic world beyond the United States. Taking careful steps not to light the Middle Eastern powderkeg into another major war, a prudent yet assertive attitude towards Iran is most helpful for the overall good of the Western world.