. . Iran and Israel have emerged as the most adversarial in the Middle Eastern geopolitical theatre.Iran, a Shia-majority state with regional influence pretensions, has supported a wide range of proxies across the region for decades in a bid to create a counterbalance to Israel with strategic footholds.At the same time, however, over the past years, Iran’s influence and military posture have been severely challenged. The killing of high-profile Iran-allied leaders, especially combined with sustained Israeli strikes against Iranian infrastructure, has some asking critical questions about Iran’s future strategy.Every time Iran faces a setback, there are growing numbers of analysts who question whether Iran might speed up its nuclear ambitions as last-resort deterrence.Iran’s nuclear ambitions always loomed large in Middle Eastern geopolitics, with that country steadfastly maintaining its program was intended for peaceful purposes. With it in a weakened state, however, the nuclear option may start to look more viable for…