The Washington Post reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran has instructed its Middle Eastern proxies to exercise restraint to avoid direct confrontation between the Ayatollah regime and the USA and Israel. Officials, including those in Iraq and Lebanon, have confirmed this.
When the US began striking Iran-backed groups in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon several weeks ago, Tehran publicly warned that it was ready to respond to any threat. However, in private, senior leaders are urging Iranian proxies to behave with restraint.
For the past two weeks, Iran-backed militias have refrained from attacking US forces in Syria and Iraq. This marks the longest lull since the conflict with Gaza began on October 7. The militants held their fire even after the elimination of a leader of the radical Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah in Baghdad.
"Iran may have realized their interests are not served by allowing their proxies unrestricted ability to attack US and coalition forces," one US official said to the Washington Post.
According to the article, Iranian diplomats and military officials have engaged with their proxies to emphasize the new directive. "Iran is doing its utmost to prevent the expansion of the war and the escalation from reaching the point of no return," said an official representative of Iraq.
Tehran believes that the current strategy will bring victory to Iran. The war in Gaza has brought the Palestinian issue back to the top of the regional agenda, complicating plans for Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to normalize ties with Israel.
At the same time, the US is showing caution, attacking pro-Iranian forces but refraining from strikes on Iranian territory.
The Washington Post claims that Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq are not under the direct control of Iran, allowing the regime to pursue its policies while avoiding accountability for the actions of its proxies.
Thus, official Tehran praises the "courage of Hezbollah" but simultaneously pressures the group to prevent the Israeli government from having grounds for a full-scale invasion of Lebanon, which would threaten Iran's long-term interests in the country.
