Iran is entering one of the most difficult moments in its history. The alliances it had built across the region are falling apart, Western sanctions have returned and its rivals are gaining ground. As Tehran tries to hold on to partners and protect its borders, it is discovering how sharply its power has declined.
While Iran has lived with international isolation for decades, from the 1979 embassy takeover to the long war with Iraq in the 1980s, observers say the pressures it is facing today are of a different order. Old alliances are collapsing and the country is struggling to keep its footing in a rapidly shifting region.
