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OPINION                                                             OCTOBER 18, 2024       |  The Indian Eye 11



        phasized on a well-measured, calcu-
        lated,  fitting,  definitive,  and  timely
        response to Israel.
            Also, Iran’s missile strike on Isra-
        el in April 2024 as a response to the
        Israeli bombing of the Iranian consul-
        ate in Damascus and the killing of the
        top commander of the Quds force,
        Major General Mohammad Reza
        Zahedi, appears to be well calculat-
        ed. Iran had informed the United
        States of the limited attack on Israel
        in advance, launched an attack from
        its territory, giving Israel and other
        countries ample time to react and
        defend,  and  caused  negligible  casu-
        alties. The missile attack was loaded
        with the symbolic value for Iran being
        able to reach Israeli territory though.
         Israel’s Psychological Pressure
                    on Iran
            Israel too puts psychological
        pressure on Iran. For instance, Is-
        rael achieved its moment of glory
        on 31 July 2024 when it killed the
        Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh along
        with his personal bodyguard at the
        swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian                                   Israel achieved its moment of glory on 31 July 2024 when it killed the Hamas leader Ismail
        President. The precision of the attack   ly intended for the domestic audi-
        nails the fact that Israel can reach any   ence that has expectations from the   Haniyeh (left) along with his personal bodyguard in Tehran (Agency photo)
        part of the Iranian territory through   Pezeshkian  government.  Iran  has
        its strong intelligence presence. Fur-  been engaged in hyperboles and psy-  strength occasionally to its worthy   negatively impacting the security and
        ther, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah   chological games earlier as well, espe-  opponent Iran, which gains an upper   stability of  the  region.  The  rhetoric
        Ali Khamenei states that Iran’s rival   cially in the context of its emphasis on   hand through its proxies. The signing   emanating from both the countries is
        countries, including  Israel, put psy-  its aversion to the west and the Unit-  of the Abraham Accords reflects Is-  escalatory and is not accommodative
        chological pressure on Iran to rethink   ed States. The war of words actually   rael’s growing acceptance in the re-  of the other side.
        its foreign policy by exaggerating   helps  in  avoiding  the  actual  conflict   gion, but Iran is a tough nut to crack,   Dr. Lakshmi Priya is a
        their power and capability and scare   while reducing the domestic and re-  and it has put the two countries in a   Research Fellow at the Indian Council
        tactics. He also said that those coun-  gional pressure.            checkmate in the recent years. Other   of World Affairs, New Delhi. Views
        tries that follow the line of western                               than that, the Netanyahu government      expressed are personal
        countries in consideration of latter’s      Conclusion              is hanging by a thread clearly evident
        overstated power can render their de-  The phenomenon of psychologi-  from the ongoing protests, and keep-  This article first appeared in the View-
        mands ineffective by relying on their   cal maneuverings has been explained   ing Iran in the picture might buy him   point section of the website (www.icwa.
        national strength and capabilities.  by scholars through the game theory,   some time.  In  conclusion, the mind   in) of Indian Council of World Affairs,
                An Assessment             arguing the two countries engage in   games between Iran  and  Israel  are   New Delhi, on September 26, 2024
            Playing with the enemy’s mind   mind games despite knowing that
        and bluffing is not a new tool of war-  coming together will be beneficial for
                                          both, anticipating the other party will
        fare and has been used by the Greek   back off.
        Emperor Alexander, the Mongol         In this case, both countries know
        leader Genghis Khan, as well as the   the intense regional devastation that
        superpowers, the US and Soviet    will follow in the case of a full-fledged
        Union, during the Cold War.       war and accordingly take precise
            In the case of Iran, its psychologi-
        cal warfare seems to be succeeding as   steps and make thoughtfully planned
                                          statements aimed at the domestic,
        a number of Israeli residents remain   regional, and international audience.
        anxious about the impending  crisis;   Iran voices its opposition to the west-
        many are leaving Israel for the west   ern domination, and external inter-
        due to the fear of Iranian retaliation   ference  in  the  region  strongly  and
        and the overall unstable situation.   gains support from Russia and China
        Within two months of the 7 October   at the international level and legiti-
        Hamas attack, nearly half a million   macy at the domestic level.
        people left Israel, and there was a   Similarly, Israel brings its tough-
        significant decline in the number of   est reaction for Iran, customized for
        Jewish immigrants arriving in Israel.   domestic consumption. Also sur-
            Secondly, Iran’s promise of an
        apt response is perhaps primari-  rounded by the dominant regional
                                          actors, Israel needs to represent its


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