TEHRAN - United Nations 
Secretary-General António Guterres has stated that the recent U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran has exposed the limitations of superpower dominance, marking a definitive and irreversible shift toward a multipolar global order.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Financial Times as he approaches the end of his decade-long tenure at the helm of the UN, Guterres described a world being reshaped by the decline of unilateral U.S. hegemony and the humbling lessons learned from “wars of choice” where Cold War-era superpowers have failed to secure decisive victories.
Guterres emphasized that the era of superpowers dictating global outcomes through force is over, citing the Iran and Ukraine wars.
“It’s time for superpowers to understand the limits of their power,” Guterres told the Financial Times from his offices at the UN headquarters in New York. “If you look at what happened in recent times, the capacity of superpowers to impose their will or their strength or their force in several situations has been severely limited.”
Addressing the Middle East, the UN chief pointed directly to the failure of Washington’s strategic objectives in Iran.
“Superpowers need to understand that things have changed, the weight of different countries has changed,” Guterres said, casting these geopolitical setbacks as clear evidence of the transition away from the U.S.-led post-Cold War order.
The UN Secretary-General’s remarks reflect the geopolitical reality following the unprovoked U.S.-Israeli military aggression
 against Iran that began in February 2026.
The war was designed to cripple Iran’s defensive capabilities and force political capitulation through a rapid, overwhelming display of force.
However, the operation quickly stalled as Iran responded with a powerful, calculated, and highly effective asymmetric defense strategy.
Utilizing advanced domestic missile and drone technology, integrated air defense networks, and regional deterrence capabilities, Iran not only neutralized the immediate threats but also inflicted high strategic and material costs on the aggressors.
The failure of the U.S. to achieve its maximalist objectives has been widely interpreted by global analysts as a definitive end to the doctrine of unconditional American military supremacy in West Asia.
Central to Iran’s successful deterrence strategy has been its assertion of sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz. As the world’s most vital maritime oil chokepoint, through which roughly 20% to 30% of global petroleum consumption passes daily, the Strait represents a critical geopolitical lever.
Tehran has established new regulatory frameworks requiring commercial vessels to register, obtain permits, follow Iran-designated routes, and utilize Iran-provided security and insurance.
This strategic maneuver ensures that passage through the Strait is no longer an unconditional right guaranteed by U.S. naval hegemony, but a privilege managed by the coastal state.