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Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/25/middleeast/myth-of-irans-invincibility-broken-intl
The Myth of Iran's Invincibility Has Been Shattered
(CNN) Nadeen Ebrahim - Iran's image of invincibility crumbled in the space of hours on June 13, when Israel launched a surprise, unprecedented attack deep inside Iran, shattering Tehran's sense of security and unraveling its carefully cultivated aura of strength. Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is likely seen as having destroyed Iran's deterrence and "rendered the country vulnerable. A lot of the blame is put on him and his decision-making - his inflexibility at the negotiating table, his defiance in the face of much stronger conventional military powers." Questions may also arise about the role and the importance of a Supreme Leader in the long term, Vaez said. Vaez added that "There is a strong desire from the Revolutionary Guards and military forces in Iran to double down and adopt a much more entrenched position, further militarizing the internal sphere and even eventually pursuing nuclear weapons as the ultimate deterrent." The paranoia around Israel's infiltration in government will likely lead to a "purge" at the top level of the system, he said. Moreover, "The Islamic Republic had one social contract with society, which is that it deprived them of all freedoms...in return for providing security. Now, that image has been shattered in the eyes of the Iranian people," Vaez said.