Hawzah News Agency- Where does the Shia stand today in the equations of power? Sometimes, to understand the scale of change in a historical period, one need not turn to complex statistics and figures. It is enough to look at a map of the world. On that map, there are two points that many may know only as the names of two maritime straits—but today they have become among the most important indicators of a shifting balance of power in the region: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
If we review the contemporary history of the region, it is difficult to find an era in which the Shia current has had such a degree of influence over major regional and international equations. This did not come about overnight; it is the product of decades of steadfastness, resistance, sacrifice—and the emergence of a new understanding of power.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran was the turning point in this transformation. Before the Revolution, Iran was one of America's main allies in the region, and a significant part of the Persian Gulf's security arrangements was dictated without the will of the region's nations. But the Islamic Revolution changed that equation and demonstrated that a country relying on independence and its own people can stand up to major powers.
Today, the Strait of Hormuz, at Iran's southernmost point, is not merely a geographic waterway; it is a highly sensitive point in the world's economy and security. A significant portion of the world's energy passes through this route, and any insecurity or restriction there impacts the energy market and the economies of many countries. This reality has made Iran's regional power not merely a domestic military matter, but a factor in the calculations of major powers.
What Is Happening on the Other Side of Saudi Arabia? Yemen at the Heart of a Major Equation
A country that for years has faced war, siege, poverty, and heavy pressures has now become an actor whose role in the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab cannot be ignored. Ansarullah in Yemen did not take an easy path to reach this point. They endured years of hardship, and in conditions where they lacked the resources of many regional armies, they relied on faith, will, resistance, and steadfastness to change equations that many believed could never be changed.
Today, it is no longer a matter of Ansarullah approaching Bab al-Mandab; Ansarullah has reached this strait and, by taking control of Mayun Island and the areas overlooking it, has effectively brought one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints under its control.
Bab al-Mandab is not just a strait for Yemen. This waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a vital trade route between Asia and Europe. Its importance is such that even the threat of disruption in this route has forced major global shipping companies to change course and sail around Africa, increasing transportation costs and time.
Here, an important point must be noted: the power of the Shia today is not limited to the number of missiles, drones, or military equipment. A major part of this power is the ability to withstand and alter the enemy's calculations.
Iran, through the Islamic Revolution, transformed from a dependent country into an independent power, and Yemen, despite years of war and pressure, has shown that a nation with the will to resist—even with limited resources—can influence regional equations.
Perhaps one of the most important achievements of recent decades is this: a movement once ignored in many global equations is now, on two sides of the Arabian Peninsula, at two sensitive geographic points, one of the key factors in power calculations.
This path, however, is not the end of the road. This power becomes enduring only when, alongside resistance, it is accompanied by unity, scientific progress, and economic capability. But today, one reality is clear: to understand regional developments and even part of the world's economic equations, the role of the Shia resistance movement can no longer be ignored.
This change is the result of years of patience and resistance—from post-Revolution Iran to a Yemen that stood firm under years of war. Perhaps the most important message of this experience is that power always begins when a nation decides it will no longer tie its destiny to the will of others.
And this may be precisely what has changed the region's equations more than anything else today.
A Word to Some Who Claim to Be Shia
The true Shia of Imam Ali (AS) are those who, when they see oppression and crime, cannot simply watch and say that in the time of occultation one must remain silent until Imam Mahdi (AS) returns. One cannot witness the killing of women and children and bear no responsibility.
If this view had prevailed among the Shia, there would be no trace of the Shia today—or even of Islam—because this school reached us through those who stood firm at history's critical junctures and did not remain indifferent.
In contrast, unfortunately, some Shia currents separate politics from religion. They attend mourning ceremonies, grieve for the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), and beat their chests—but when it comes to America, the Zionist regime, and major events in the Islamic world, they say these matters have nothing to do with religiosity. They reduce disavowal to a few insults and slogans—precisely when the front of Islam faces a fully armed and sharp-toothed enemy.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran was one of the most important events that revived this spirit among the Shia: that one can be a Muslim, a worshipper, a participant in mourning ceremonies—and at the same time not remain indifferent to what befalls Muslims and the oppressed of the world.
Perhaps one of the most important signs of Shia power today is this: a Shia that is no longer merely a spectator to regional events, but itself plays a role in shaping the region's equations.
Hojatoleslam Naqi Amini
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