Former MI6 Chief Declares Iran Has the “Upper Hand” in War with US and Israel
In a stark and exclusive assessment, Sir Alex Younger who led Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from 2014 to 2020 has stated that Iran currently holds the upper hand in the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
Speaking to The Economist’s defence editor Shashank Joshi, Younger said:
“Iran has the upper hand. I regret reaching that conclusion. I spent most of my career dealing with the violence and brutality of the Revolutionary Guards. I did not shed a tear over the de∆th of Ali Kh∆menei, but the reality is that the United States underestimated the task and, about two weeks ago, lost the initiative to Iran.”
He highlighted Iran’s strategic resilience, including its ability to turn the conflict into a global one through energy warfare and framing it as a “war of existence.”
This comes as US-Iran negotiations continue amid heightened tensions.
Source:Direct interview with Sir Alex Younger on The Economist’s Inside Defence podcast, published today Wednesday, 25 March 2026.