Reference News Network, March 18 report: The Hong Kong Asia Times website published an article on March 12 with the title "Natural Fortress: How the Geographical Environment Protects the Iranian Regime," by Luca Boam. The translation is as follows:

There is no denying that Iran's strategic prospects are related to its topography. The Iranian plateau is a vast area surrounded by the Zagros Mountains and the Elburz Mountains. The Zagros Mountains run along the western part of Iran, while the Elburz Mountains occupy the northern part of the country, effectively turning it into a fortress, making it difficult for any adversary to conduct conventional ground invasions due to logistical challenges.

The vast plateau allows Tehran to disperse its military and nuclear infrastructure, enjoying a certain degree of strategic depth. Iran views its topography as a means to amplify its military power. By utilizing the depth and rugged terrain provided by the plateau, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has adopted an anti-access/area denial strategy.

This security framework enables Tehran to challenge regional rivals without triggering a full-scale war. Moreover, this fortress mentality allows Tehran to project power through asymmetric means, such as using proxies and precision-guided systems, without being affected by conventional ground invasion retaliation.

Iran has a southern coastline of approximately 1,120 miles (about 1,802 kilometers), which allows it to control the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. This geographical proximity enables Iran to exert influence over one of the world's busiest maritime routes through so-called "smart control." Smart control is an integrated system network that includes multiple interrelated technological layers:

The Iranian "Hunter"-3G missile system, an upgraded version of its long-range air defense system, has a range of 150 kilometers. Its purpose is to create a mobile air defense umbrella to protect naval fleets from air attacks; Tehran has incorporated new drones into its smart control network, which can identify and strike aerial and maritime targets. This means Iran can monitor shipping and pressure specific vessels while allowing neutral ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; Iran has demonstrated the ability to launch cruise missiles simultaneously from inland silos and sea platforms, ensuring that Tehran can continue to implement smart control over the strait through other nodes even if one node is destroyed.

The implementation of smart control marks a shift for Iran from indiscriminate blockades to a high-tech, active identification system.

In the current conflict, Iran has proven that despite the destruction of much of its navy, it can still maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz through its smart control system. The main methods are three:

Electronic warfare: Maritime intelligence shows that since March 1st, more than 1,100 vessels have been subjected to intense GPS signal spoofing. Vessel signals have been altered, making them appear within Iranian territorial waters, providing Tehran with justification for seizing or attacking them.

In addition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has used deception tactics to hide its fast attack boats, making it almost impossible for commercial oil tankers to know where the threat will come from until the attack is imminent.

Hard strikes: With the implementation of the smart control strategy, Iran does not need to attack all vessels, but only target specific ones. At the beginning of March, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps used drones to attack an oil tanker flying the flag of the Marshall Islands and another cargo ship.

Integrated air defense: Iran has incorporated newly developed air defense systems into its defense system, creating overlapping air defense networks. This forces U.S. and Israeli jet fighters to fly at high altitudes, weakening these aircraft's ability to identify and destroy Iran's small drone launchers along the coast.

The effect of Iran's smart control measures is that, even if its conventional navy strength is damaged, it can achieve an effective maritime blockade through economic attrition. (Translated by Pan Xiaoyan)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7618420035653632527/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.