Iran's War Is Not Only With the West

March 16, 2026

TL;DR

A Syrian surgeon expressed immense happiness at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, as he and others had suffered under pro-Iranian militias during years of siege and bombardment.
Western perspectives on Iran's regional conflicts tend to focus on geopolitical struggles, often ignoring the direct victims of the Iranian regime and its proxies.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has successfully established and expanded its influence through militias in countries weakened by conflict and with unstable state institutions.
Key examples of Iran's proxy activities include Hezbollah in Lebanon, pro-Iranian militias in post-2003 Iraq, increased influence in Syria during its civil war, and support for the Houthi militia in Yemen.
These militias have been responsible for internal conflicts, assassinations, torture, ethnic cleansing, and widespread violence against civilian populations in the regions where they operate.
The suffering caused by these proxies has led to profound resentment and hatred among the affected populations, as evidenced by the joy expressed by some upon hearing of Khamenei's death.

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