• •Analyst Trita Parsi reports Iran has moved away from 'strategic patience' regarding regional conflicts
• •The new doctrine mandates immediate, severe military responses to any direct US attack
• •It remains uncertain how Tehran will distinguish between state-level strikes and proxy-related skirmishes under this policy

Iran has shifted its defense posture, moving away from 'strategic patience' toward a doctrine of immediate, severe retaliation against US-linked actions, according to analysis from Trita Parsi via Al Jazeera. This change follows years of a more cautious approach where Iran aimed to avoid direct confrontation while managing regional influence. However, the shift risks triggering accidental escalation, as the threshold for what constitutes an 'attack' remains subject to Tehran's interpretation. Whether this hardening of policy effectively deters US and Israeli actions or simply invites more frequent direct conflict remains an open question for regional observers.