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Source: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/irans-fortitude-is-its-decisive-edge-bc4af7cb
Iran's Fortitude Is Its Decisive Edge
(Wall Street Journal) Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh - Tehran has a wartime advantage over Washington because the ruling Iranian elite wants to fight and has been willing to endure far more pain than Donald Trump has. For nearly half a century, successive American presidents have viewed the Islamic Republic as a collection of competing factions, with "moderates" and "hard-liners" struggling for control. Unfortunately, the Iranian regime isn't divided. It is probably more unified and determined than at any time since Saddam Hussein invaded in 1980. The bloodbath that ended the popular insurrection in January 2026 resulted from the brutality of Iranian security services and the unity of the ruling elite. There was no daylight among the Islamists in charge when it came to killing rebellious citizens. Mr. Gerecht is a resident scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Mr. Takeyh is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.