"Illusion" and "Deception": The Main Drivers Behind the Joint US-Israeli Aggression on Iran The joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran have entered their tenth day. Contrary to the "illusions" of the aggressors, Iran not only did not collapse within "three days" but has also managed to deliver a painful response to systematically dismantle the fantasies of its adversaries. The Failure of the “Collapse” Doctrine Deceived by the Israeli regime, the US administration operated under the erroneous assumption that a massive assault, combined with the martyrdom of Iran's Supreme Leader, would lead to the immediate disintegration of the state. They predicted internal riots, the mass defection of military, governmental, and diplomatic officials, and a vacuum for separatist infiltration. The Reality on the Ground: State Stability: Despite these illusions, the administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues with strength. Leadership Continuity: The process of selecting the Supreme Leader's successor has been finalized and Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei will be the third leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. National Solidarity: The people are contributing to internal security by their continuous presence in the streets, no riots have occurred inside the country. Zero Defection and Strategic Shift: Not a single official domestic or foreign-based has abandoned their post. Iran has rapidly shifted to an offensive posture, inflicting heavy blows on the aggressors' interests. Historical and Strategic Miscalculation: The U.S. entry into the Iranian "quagmire" has occurred due to a grand deception by the Israeli regime. If the current U.S. administration had even read "a single book" about Iran, its history, civilization, and culture, they would not have crossed the "bridge of no return" into Iran. Iran's seven-thousand-year history has shown that this country has always become more united and stronger in the face of foreign invasion. Inspired by the "Ashura" culture, Iranians turn the onslaught of aggressor forces into an "epic" for themselves and rise up to confront it with all their might. The Collapse of International Order: The "existing rationality" within the current US administration, in its alignment with the Israeli regime on the genocide in Gaza, the Epstein case, the naval blockade of Cuba, and the abduction of Venezuela's president, has become severely questionable and discredited, reminiscent of the era of colonialism and imperialism. Trump's actions have not only created rifts within the U.S. but have also generated a wave of global opposition to its aggression against Iran. Systematic attacks on civilian centers, including hospitals, medical centers, sports facilities, residential homes, oil depots, water treatment plants, schools, and the martyrdom of over 1,500 Iranian citizens, stand as clear evidence of the collapse of the foundations of the international legal order and the reinforcement of the "law of the jungle" in the world. The Principle of Legitimate Defense: While fully respecting the territorial integrity and political independence of friendly neighboring countries, Iran, based on the principle of "inherent right of self- defense," is solely targeting the aggressors' interests in the region – in the air, on land, and at sea – and considers them legitimate targets. Undoubtedly, the consequences of this crime against Iran will bring about significant changes in the region and the world. The spheres of security, energy, logistics, and even food in the region and the world would be jeopardized. Silence and inaction in the face of such illegal behavior will not only embolden the US and the Zionist regime but will also accelerate the collapse of the international legal system.   Public Diplomacy of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran  in Hong Kong and Macao