Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council chairman Sadeq Larijani said Tehran’s intervention in support of Lebanon constitutes a formal declaration of a new strategic doctrine, under which attacks on any component of the Restance Axis will trigger a response that extends beyond geographical boundaries and reshapes regional equations.

Larijani said Iran has entered a new phase in which it no longer waits for threats to emerge before acting to preserve its regional position, but instead takes the initiative. He also warned that any expansion of the conflict or attack on critical Iranian infrastructure would be met with a comprehensive and deterrent response.