Hyderabad, April 7 -- At first glance, Iran appears no match for the United States. It cannot compete dollar for dollar with the American economy, nor can it rival the scale and sophistication of US military power. Washington's defence spending dwarfs Tehran's, and its technological edge - from stealth aircraft to precision-guided weapons - remains formidable. Yet, as the conflict stretches beyond a month, the emerging picture is far more complex, challenging long-held assumptions about how power operates in modern warfare.

Despite sustained strikes by the United States and Israel, Iran's core military capabilities do not appear to have been decisively degraded. While damage has certainly been inflicted, Tehran continues to demonstrate r...