Why Iran Stands Alone: Power, Sovereignty, and Regional Tensions

In past statements, former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Arab monarchies couldn’t survive 10 days without American support — a stark comment on the geopolitical dependency of U.S.-aligned Gulf states.

This raises a critical question: Why is Iran perceived so differently?

Unlike many of its regional counterparts, Iran maintains a fiercely independent posture, operating outside the framework of Western military protection.

This independence — both political and military — is seen by Israel & America as the reason why Iran poses such a strategic challenge to existing power structures in the region.

As Iran strengthens its influence, it increasingly threatens the status quo of neighboring monarchies, whose stability depend on external support.

For some observers, this is precisely why Tehran is treated as a growing threat — not because of what it is doing, but because of what it represents: a sovereign model that operates without foreign military dependency.