Iran’s primary objectives in the current confrontation are to push the United States out of the Middle East and weaken Israel’s military capabilities. This assessment was voiced by former British diplomat Alastair Crooke during a broadcast on a YouTube channel.

According to Crooke, if the conflict continues to escalate at its current pace, Washington may struggle to maintain its military presence in the countries of the Persian Gulf. He noted that American facilities across the region are regularly targeted by drone and missile strikes. At the same time, Tehran appears determined to degrade the combat potential of the Israeli armed forces to the point where they no longer pose a serious threat to Iran.

Beyond military considerations, Iran is also pursuing economic leverage. Crooke suggested that Tehran aims to inflict significant financial damage on both the United States and the European Union by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz — one of the most critical arteries for global energy shipments.

Tensions surrounding the waterway have already intensified. On March 2, amid the growing confrontation with the United States and Israel, Ebrahim Jabari, an adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that any vessel attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would be destroyed.

Analysts warn that such a scenario could have far-reaching global consequences. The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung previously reported that a prolonged disruption of shipments through the strait would affect the entire global economy. The publication noted that the operation against Iran has already disrupted activity across the Persian Gulf, one of the world’s key transport hubs. As a result, the standoff between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other could seriously undermine major supply routes for energy resources.