By Emmanuel Kwada
In the wake of devastating U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Iran finds itself increasingly isolated on the global stage, with experts warning that the regime lacks the allies to mount a meaningful response.
“Iran is totally isolated … They have no friends, they have no allies, they have nobody that’s going to come to their aid,” ABC News contributor and former State Department official Steve Ganyard said Sunday, underscoring the precarious position of Tehran following the U.S. operation.
The strikes, authorized by President Donald Trump and executed late Saturday, targeted Iran’s nuclear enrichment infrastructure in coordination with Israeli forces, which had been striking Iranian targets since June 13. U.S. B-2 stealth bombers deployed GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators to obliterate the fortified Fordow facility, while precision strikes hit Natanz and Isfahan, severely crippling Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others—are weakened and overstretched. Tehran is alone, and these strikes have exposed that vulnerability
Trump, in a nationwide address, hailed the operation as a “spectacular success” and warned Iran that further aggression would prompt attacks on additional targets “with precision, speed, and skill.”
Ganyard, appearing on ABC’s This Week, emphasized Iran’s diplomatic and military isolation. “Russia and China may offer rhetorical support, but neither is willing to risk direct confrontation with the U.S. or Israel,” he said.
“Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others—are weakened and overstretched. Tehran is alone, and these strikes have exposed that vulnerability.”
Iran must make peace now, or the consequences will be far greater
He noted that Iran’s economy, already strained by sanctions, and its military, battered by recent Israeli and U.S. operations, leave it with limited options for retaliation.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the destruction of key nuclear facilities, with the country’s atomic agency vowing to rebuild. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the U.S. strikes as “cowardly aggression” but stopped short of announcing immediate retaliatory measures, fueling speculation about Iran’s next moves.
Analysts suggest that Iran may resort to asymmetric attacks via proxies or cyberattacks, but its ability to sustain a broader conflict is in doubt.
President Trump, speaking from the White House alongside Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, urged Iran to seek peace.
“Iran must make peace now, or the consequences will be far greater,” Trump said, adding, “God bless Israel, and God bless the United States.” He described the strikes as a necessary response to Iran’s “decades of threats” against the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing his “peace through strength” policy.
As Iran grapples with the fallout, the question remains whether its isolation will force diplomacy or provoke desperate retaliation. For now, the U.S. and Israel appear to hold the upper hand, with Trump signaling readiness for either peace or further action.
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