Changes

As of Spring 2015, Iran was moving on two of the three strategic choke points for control of the flow of Middle Eastern crude oil and the global economy -- the Straits of Hormuz and the Port of Aden. In February, Iran destroyed a mockup U.S. Supercarrier in the Straits of Hormuz during a live-fire ballistic missile test<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrgLFcIMYDk#t=25 </ref>, and in March, Iran's Houthi proxy force toppled the [[Yemen]] government which controlled Aden.  Meanwhile, the third strategic chokepoint -- Suez, was claimed by the Islamic State as part of its Sinai Province which forms a common border with Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian nuke deal in late 2015 represented a softening of attitudes by Western powers toward Iran's bid for hegemony as the dominant regional power.  

As of Spring 2015, Iran was moving on two of the three strategic choke points for control of the flow of Middle Eastern crude oil and the global economy -- the Straits of Hormuz and the Port of Aden. In February, Iran destroyed a mockup U.S. Supercarrier in the Straits of Hormuz during a live-fire ballistic missile test<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrgLFcIMYDk#t=25 </ref>, and in March, Iran's Houthi proxy force toppled the [[Yemen]] government which controlled Aden.  Meanwhile, the third strategic chokepoint -- Suez, was claimed by the Islamic State as part of its Sinai Province which forms a common border with Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian nuke deal in late 2015 represented a softening of attitudes by Western powers toward Iran's bid for hegemony as the dominant regional power.  

Iran has formulated what is known as the Axis of Resistance - resistance against the encroachment of Western civilization, consisting of Iran, the Alawite regime, and Lebanese Hezbollah. Use of the term 'resistance against the West is common to both Shia and Sunni, usually directed against Israel or American oil drilling technicians in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. Disputes are over who will lead the Resistance. Sunnis generally refer to the Shia resistance movement as the Rejectionist Axis.

Iran has formulated what is known as the Axis of Resistance - resistance against the encroachment of Western civilization, consisting of Iran, the Alawite regime, and Lebanese Hezbollah. Use of the term 'resistance against the West is common to both Shia and Sunni, usually directed against Israel or American oil drilling technicians in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. Disputes are over who will lead the Resistance. Sunnis generally refer to the Shia resistance movement as the Rejectionist Axis.