Russian Columnist Dmitry Drize: 'Iran Is No Longer A Regional Leader'

Memri

a day ago

On June 27, 2025, Russian columnist Dmitry Drize wrote in the Russian daily Kommersant an article, titled "The Middle East is Already Changing," in which he assessed that, after the 12-day Israel-Iran war, the main conclusion is "obvious": "Iran is no longer a regional leader, much less a superpower that terrifies its neighbors."
"Kommersant FM" columnist, Dmitry Drize (Source: Yuri Martyanov / Kommersant)
Below are excerpts of Drize's article:[1]
"Iran's Nuclear Program Has Not Been Completely Destroyed, Thus Sooner Or Later Its Opponents Will Have To Repeat The Strikes"
"The 12-day war is over; the progressive world community discusses how long the peace will last. There are different conclusions, but it all boils down to the fact that Iran's nuclear program has not been completely destroyed, thus sooner or later its opponents will have to repeat the strikes. The question is in the timing. As is known, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proclaimed a total and unconditional victory not only over the 'Zionist entity,' but even over America, which committed an act of aggression against absolutely peaceful objects of the Islamic Republic...
"Be that as it may, Tehran admits that the nuclear program has been damaged, perhaps even critically. The meaning of these statements is clear – they are made so that [Israel and the U.S.] will no longer bomb Iran...
"Donald Trump also harshly criticized journalists who question the success of the American bombing operation. The press reports that the White House will soon present a plan for the New Middle East, as a result of which wars will become a thing of the past and peace and absolute idyll will be established. Naturally, this is hard to believe.
"There Are Reports That Iran Plans To Buy J-10 Jet Fighters From China"
"So, what's next? The sides are now calculating their losses and evaluating their options. There are reports that Iran plans to buy J-10 jet fighters from China, which are believed to have demonstrated a great performance during the three-day war between India and Pakistan. By the way, the vehicles are supposed to be purchased instead of Russian Su-35, primarily because the Chinese models are cheaper and less fastidious in terms of maintenance.
"However, it is not certain that the deal will take place. Meetings on this issue have been going on for a long time. Beijing is extremely cautious regarding such a step. America, of course, is a competitor and even an adversary, but on the other hand, it is an important trading partner [for China]. Why provide an unnecessary reason for disagreement? Especially since the future of the current power in Tehran, as mentioned above, does not look cloudless at all."
"The Middle East Is Already Changing"
"The main conclusion is obvious – Iran is no longer a regional leader, much less a superpower that terrifies its neighbors. So, someone else will claim this high title from now on. There are many candidates, including Turkey and the Gulf monarchies. Israel, for its part, has re-established its position, where it wields the power of the strongest. It may not be a contender for leadership, but it is better not to anger this state or test its strength.
"In fact, the Middle East is already changing. It remains to be seen what the outcome of it will be. However, something tells me that the situation will not change for the worse; it is quite possible that it will be better. The process is underway and it is gaining momentum every day. This is the essence of changes in the current world order. It would be good, of course, to do without wars, but there is nothing to be done. Man is still imperfect."