Iran War Ceasefire Fails to Diminish Regime Power, Deepens Militarization

Coordinated airstrikes by Israeli and U.S. forces on 28 February 2026 launched a war against Iran that destroyed large parts of the country's military infrastructure, blocked the Strait of Hormuz and caused over 2,000 civilian deaths. A two‑week cease‑fire was brokered on 8 April by Pakistan, shortly before a U.S. ultimatum threatened the annihilation of an entire civilization.

The conflict did not weaken the Islamic Republic. Instead, security agencies consolidated power, the Revolutionary Guard Corps retained its dominance, and a new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, assumed office with backing from the security apparatus. Negotiations were led by Parliament President Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, an IRGC general, underscoring the regime’s deeper militarisation and regional instability.