Foreign policy and national security experts have weighed in on the recent developments in the Middle East, particularly focusing on the Iranian government and its potential implications for the region and the world.
It has been highlighted that the Iranian President is largely seen as a figurehead, with the real power residing in the Supreme Leader and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which are described as a dangerous terrorist force. The government in Iran derives its legitimacy from a claim of representing divine right, but recent events are perceived as a sign of weakness both within Iran and across the Middle East.