US-based Nigerian social commentator, Bunmi Tella, has declared that Iran has already won its war with the United States, arguing that Washington is engaged in a desperate attempt to deny Tehran the optics of victory while the reality on the ground tells a different story.
In a post shared on social media, Tella pointed to recent remarks by the head of Lockheed Martin, whom she described as “salivating at the prospect of permanent war,” as evidence that the US military-industrial complex has a vested interest in prolonging conflict rather than acknowledging its strategic failures.
Tella’s comments come amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, where the US has been deploying additional military assets, including Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar and additional warships and fighter jets to the region, amid preparations for possible renewed military operations against Iran.
Tella argued that Iran’s position is fundamentally different from that of Hamas, which she claimed accepted a “fake win” in exchange for concessions. “Iran is not Hamas, it will not give US a fake win in exchange for anything,” she wrote.
The commentator asserted that Iran understands how much American power depends on perception and optics, and that Tehran will never allow Washington to claim a victory it has not earned.
“It WILL force the US out of the gulf with its tail between its legs. Iran does not just want peace, it wants to be seen to win”, Tella declared.
Tella’s reference to Lockheed Martin appears to be tied to recent comments by CEO Jim Taiclet, who told CNBC that demand related to the Iran War is “not fleeting — it’s permanent.” Taiclet’s remarks were widely criticized, including by Joe Kent, former counterterrorism chief under President Donald Trump, who accused defense contractors of profiting from endless war.
The Lockheed CEO’s comments have fueled arguments that the defense industry benefits from sustained conflict, reinforcing Tella’s assertion that the US has little incentive to bring the war to a definitive close.
While Tella’s commentary focuses on the optics of the conflict, the material reality of the US position in the Gulf has been increasingly precarious. According to a Pentagon Inspector General report, Iranian missile and drone strikes inflicted extensive damage on US military infrastructure across eight countries, with the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain among the hardest hit.
The damage in Bahrain was so severe that the US military was forced to shift logistics to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, stretching resupply cycles to between 14 and 18 days. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao offered a blunt assessment, saying Iran had “blew the hell out of Bahrain.”
Analysts have also noted that the US “forward deployment” model in the Gulf, which relies on large bases close to Iran, has been fundamentally undermined by Iran’s long-range precision missile and drone capabilities. These bases, once a source of deterrence, have become vulnerable targets rather than strategic assets.
Tella’s core argument, that Iran is fighting for the perception of victory as much as the reality, echoes assessments from within Israel itself. Former senior Israeli official Giora Eiland said in May that “Iran won the war, perhaps by a few points, but it is a clear victory,” adding that the United States was “in an evident bind.”
Iranian officials have also claimed victory. Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated in August that Iran won its war against Israel and the US “both militarily and politically,” arguing that America and Israel failed to achieve any of their declared objectives.
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