Funny how you left out WHY Iran is in Syria. Why don't you criticize your fellow headchopping friends who were in Syria on CIA orders?
I'm not interested in an Iran vs Pakistan proxy comparison or any sort of d*ck measuring for that matter...so if u want to engage in a debate...keep it as such...see below...
You are free to pick up a map of the Middle East and point at the places where we are not active. Pakistan is active in only one barren wasteland aka Afghanistan and can direct all her resources to that cause. Iran is in many other theatres.
As other members here have pointed out...what exactly is the use of all these proxies Iran is backing in multiple middle eastern countries? Is it accomplishing anything other than bloodshed and miserable lives for ppl? They are Muslims predominantly
(whatever sect...doesn't matter) and even if not Muslims...ppl are just ppl. They deserve a chance at life...security...livelihood...the same as u and I.
If u r gonna make the argument of "national security"...then plz back it up accordingly with proper reasoning. In case of Pakistan backing proxies in Afghanistan...
...the whole civil war, bloodshed stuff applies there too...but at least u can see the "national security" reasoning there. During the times of propping up Mujahideen...there was a pro Soviet
(and anti Pak) Afghan government at first and then Soviet Union
(Soviet Union and Pakistan being on opposite sides) itself came to Afghanistan
(militarily). So with India on one side...and a hostile Afghanistan on the other...being engaged on two fronts...it became a matter of survival.
Similar situation occurred after the US invasion of Afghanistan and under the puppet Afghan government...India started to fund anti Pak elements...with a porous open border...Pak suffered heavily at the hands of these Indian sponsored proxies operating out of Afghanistan. So it became necessary to arm/support the opposing force and again secure Pakistan's western front.
In both cases u see a clear goal...and steps taken to achieve that goal...which fits within the umbrella of "national security".
Now let's look at Iran's backed proxies. What do they hope to gain in Iraq? A pro Iran government? What then? How terrible would it be if Iran didn't support proxies in Iraq? Worst case scenario...there comes an anti Iran government in Iraq? Is it really a threat to Iran? Iraq of today doesn't compare to what it once was or had the potential to be...it is a mere shadow of its former self when it comes to its economy and military prowess. It does not present a threat to Iran...at this time.
In Syria...what does Iran hope to gain? The only thing I can see would be to support anti Israel proxies? So they can strike at Israel...while staying outside Israeli borders
(in neighboring Syria)? I don't see any other goal that may align with Iran...so why play a role in destabilizing it? U can support anti Israel proxies in a stable Syria as well.
What about Yemen? Even if it became pro Saudi...so what? It poses no threat to Iran.
All this senseless chaos and bloodshed...when it doesn't even pose an existential threat to u as a nation...
...how is it any different than what US does? Or what the Soviet Union did? Just vying for some hegemony?
@925boy @Muhammed45