原文：Evolution under fire: Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ in a post-war era
Has Iran’s regional deterrence been permanently degraded, or is its proxy network mutating into a resilient force?
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the United States and Iran has halted more than three months of direct warfare. The agreement, which includes lifting a US naval blockade and establishing a $300bn reconstruction fund for Iran, has fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape.
According to a research paper by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (AJCS), the MOU represents a strategic setback for Washington’s initial war aims, effectively abandoning the goal of regime change. The framework also signals a potential end to Israeli ambitions of uncontested regional hegemony, with the US implicitly recognising Iran as a legitimate regional power.
However, this prolonged conflict has imposed a severe stress test on Iran’s “axis of resistance” – the regional network of pro-Iranian allied forces, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and armed groups in Iraq.
s the dust settles, Al Jazeera spoke to experts on Iran in an attempt to unpack the tactical losses, strategic adaptations, and future capabilities of Tehran’s proxy network to answer a critical question: Has Iran’s regional deterrence been permanently degraded, or is the axis mutating into a more decentralised, resilient force?
Tactical losses and homeland deterrence
For decades, Iran relied on its regional allies as part of its “forward defence” doctrine designed to keep conflicts away from its borders.
But interestingly, during the US-Israeli war – with Iran’s own territory, military infrastructure, and national security at stake – Tehran chose to largely rely on its own missiles, drones, and control over the Strait of Hormuz, rather than unleash the full force of its allies.
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In fact, several of the members of the “axis of resistance”, notably the Houthis, acted cautiously when they could have opened up new fronts in the conflict.
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