Former Japanese Envoy Mitsugu Saito Blames U.S. Strategic Miscalculations for Failure Against Iran
Former Japanese ambassador to Iran Mitsugu Saito criticized U.S. strategic miscalculations and failure to understand Iran's asymmetric strengths in a recent conflict. His book, 'Why the United States Lost to Iran,' argues that Washington's contradictory objectives and overwhelming military power were ineffective. The book was published with a large initial print run in Japan.
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Mitsugu Saito, former Japanese Ambassador to Iran (October 2018–October 2020), has spent decades studying the Middle East, and his latest book, "Why the United States Lost to Iran" (Bungeishunju Ltd., July 2026, 224 pages), argues that Washington misjudged its political objectives in the recent war with Iran. The book, published with an initial print run of 10,000 copies — a notably large figure in Japan for a specialized foreign-policy title — follows his 2022 work, "Is Iran a Threat? — A Regional Power on the Strait of Hormuz and Japan's Diplomacy" (Iwanami Shoten).
In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, former Japanese ambassador to Iran Mitsugu Saito said Washington’s strategic miscalculations, contradictory objectives, and failure to understand Iran’s asymmetric strengths prevented its overwhelming military power from delivering victory.