[Today’s Prayer] The biggest obstacle to U.S.–Iran negotiations is Iran’s “threat across the Middle East” with missiles

Iran is confronting pressure from the Donald Trump administration head-on by putting forward its missiles as a “symbol of power,” the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 7th (local time).

Amid military tensions between the United States and Iran reaching their peak, the U.S. is demanding missile restrictions as one of the conditions for negotiations, but Iran is instead raising the level of confrontation by referring to the possibility of missile attacks.

According to the report, Iran is using its arsenal—including approximately 2,000 medium-range ballistic missiles—as a key lever of deterrence against the United States, amid crises such as strikes on nuclear facilities and the weakening of allied forces.

Iran demonstrated its military power by launching about 500 missiles during the “12-day war” with Israel last June. Although many launchers and storage facilities were destroyed by Israel’s counterattacks, Iran still possesses formidable capabilities to strike across the Middle East.

In particular, assessments indicate that Iran learned ways during last year’s war to allow more missiles to penetrate Israeli and U.S. air defense systems.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said, “In a situation where Iran lacks a meaningful air force and air defense system, and its allied forces and nuclear capabilities have weakened, ballistic missiles are the core of its military power.”

U.S. military leadership is taking Iran’s threat seriously.

In fact, it is reported that President Trump planned a surprise attack on Iran in mid-January but canceled it at the last minute, accepting advisers’ warnings that U.S. forces in the Middle East were insufficient to manage the risks of Iranian missile retaliation and escalation.

The United States has been pressuring Iran to resume nuclear negotiations by hinting at the possibility of military intervention following anti-government protests in Iran that began late last year.

Nuclear negotiations between the two countries took place as the United States deployed large-scale military forces, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, near Iran.

U.S. and Iranian delegations resumed talks on the Iranian nuclear issue in Oman on the 6th. It was the first time in eight months since dialogue was halted after Israel and the United States carried out successive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June.

The United States reportedly demanded limits on nuclear enrichment along with reductions to Iran’s missile program, but Iran rejected all of them.

A senior official of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) recently unveiled a new medium-range missile model and claimed, “The United States chose negotiations over an attack because it yielded to Iran’s missile capabilities.”

Even after the resumption of nuclear talks, military tensions have not eased.

The U.S. Department of Defense recently strengthened its readiness posture by deploying additional missile defense systems to the Persian Gulf and Arab countries near Iran. President Trump strongly warned, “If Iran does not come to an agreement, the price will be very harsh.”

(omitted)

Experts believe that if an attack by the Trump administration becomes imminent, Iran could actually launch a large-scale counterattack.

They say Iran is envisioning a scenario in which, based on the military capabilities built under former commander Hajizadeh, it simultaneously strikes Israel, U.S. military bases in the Middle East, and pro-American Arab countries with large numbers of missiles.

Source: Yonhap News

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)

Heavenly Father, we hear the news that although nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran have resumed, Iran is raising the level of confrontation by putting forward its missiles as a “symbol of power.” We bring before You all these circumstances in which military tensions between Iran and the United States have reached their peak.

Lord, please help Iran realize that the missiles and military force it believes in and relies on can never guarantee true security for the land. Break the chain of evil threats and retaliation, and we believe that You alone are the One who can save the Iranian people. Please protect the souls of Iran, placed in a situation overshadowed by the threat of war, with Your mighty arm, and in this time of crisis let a work arise in which they encounter Jesus Christ, the true Savior.

Also, Lord, intervene in every moment of decision in which the United States seeks to resolve the situation through military surprise attacks and strong pressure. Help leaders value the lives of souls rather than relying on the power of force, and let peace come to the Middle East through God’s way, not through human strategies and attacks. Govern hearts of anger and retaliation, and let the United States be used as a good instrument to lead the souls of this land to God.

Lord, through all these circumstances, raise up the global Church and believers who will go forth bearing the gospel for the sake of the Iranian people. Let them proclaim the gospel and the Kingdom of God to Iranian souls scattered in neighboring countries, and rising with hope not in the armies of the world or political agreements, but in the eternal Kingdom of God, let the peace that the world cannot give cover the Iranian people.

In these last days, by fulfilling the mission of advancing to the ends of the earth bearing the banner of victory, may the Iranian people arise as channels of the gospel, proclaiming Your eternal Kingdom!