DoD report on Iran military: "Regime Survival & Deterrence"

Via Politico, a DOD report, here

"... The report assesses that the chief goal of Iran’s military strategy is regime survival. And it describes Iran’s military power as being largely deterrent in nature.

“To ensure regime survival, Iran’s security strategy is based first on deterring an attack,” the report says. “Iran’s principles of military strategy include deterrence, asymmetrical retaliation and attrition warfare.”

“Iran’s nuclear program and its willingness to keep open the possibility of developing nuclear weapons is a central part of its deterrent strategy,” it says.

Iran also seeks “to become the strongest and most influential country in the Middle East and to influence world affairs,” the report says. Interestingly, the report says, “in recent years, Iran’s ideological goals have taken a back seat to pragmatic considerations.”