The military doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran has persisted since the 1979 Revolution, claiming to be based on a "defensive" framework. Tehran relies on asymmetric deterrence and regional influence politics conducted through proxy forces rather than direct warfare. However, by the mid-2020s, the sustainability of this model had come under serious question. Israel's intensive airstrikes throughout 2024-2025 exposed the limits of Iran's passive defense capabilities, while internal strategic divisions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the country's economic crisis brought the need for doctrinal revision to the fore.
These developments make the question of what military orientation Iran will adopt in the coming period important at both the regional and global levels. Can the Tehran doctrine really change, or will ideological and institutional constraints continue to limit this change?
Iran's military thinking has historically been built on a "defensive" discourse.
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