The author argues that, despite the war’s outcome being relatively favorable for Iran compared to many dire scenarios, the country’s military deterrence has been severely weakened, leaving Iran among the region’s weakest powers. Politically, the piece stresses that future changes must come from the Iranian people, noting that recent blows to the security apparatus have shifted the balance of power toward civil society.
The text calls for reforms in security and defense sectors, criticizing the inefficiency of intelligence and ideological bodies, and urging the restructuring or merging of the Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace units with the regular army. It also advocates for a fundamental overhaul of the armed forces, focusing on building a professional army centered on air power and integrated air‑ground defense, while acknowledging that procurement of advanced fifth‑generation fighters depends on resolving underlying political issues.