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Let's Talk About Iran: A Deep Dive into Geopolitics

Updated: Jul 30

Drawn on Jun 21, 2025 | Published from Miami

The ayatollah taking advantage of Israeli airstrikes to make room for his next monument.
Stars and Stripes

The Complexity of Iran's Geopolitical Landscape


In this age of missile diplomacy and meme warfare, nuance is frequently the first casualty. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of Iran. This nation is often misunderstood, misrepresented, and mythologized. Even its enemies struggle to comprehend what they are truly fighting against. Recently, its already delicate relationship with Israel has once again thrust the Islamic Republic into the spotlight of a complex geopolitical mosaic. It is easy to lose track of the many moving pieces involved [more context here].


Understanding the Tensions Beyond Airstrikes


While airstrikes dominate the headlines, something far more complex and consequential lurks beneath the surface. Cultural psychology, diaspora delusion, religious nationalism, and a heavy dose of end-times scripture intertwine to create a challenging narrative. This story doesn’t merely pit heroes against villains. Instead, it addresses the misconceptions deeply rooted in Western perceptions of Iran. These misunderstandings have significant implications for policy, war, and propaganda. The objective here is to expose the inflated folklore that often overshadows America’s darker theological motivations regarding its Middle East policies.


What follows is a mixture of realpolitik, unfolding prophecy, and bitter caricatures reflecting a world where liberation is relegated to the hands of monsters. Sacred alliances appear to rot from within.


So, sharpen your pencils and take a long, sober look at the tragic and deeply human drama unfolding between Iran, Israel, and the West’s messianic mirror. This exploration won’t seek direct solutions to these complex issues. Instead, we will point out the many challenges present in this geopolitical tableau. At its core, three ideas encapsulate the situation, along with a bonus thought.


The Ideological Currents in Iran


Examining the ideological currents running through Iran’s modern history, as well as the philosophies of its neighboring countries—from the 'istans' to the Gulf and the Levant—reveals a disturbing landscape. Antisemitism serves more prominently than anti-clericalism in mobilizing public sentiment. It fuels pan-Islamic rhetoric and reliably supports religious regimes.


Dissent exists against the theocracy, sometimes fervently and sometimes covertly. Yet it rarely coalesces into a mass political identity. This is mainly due to the strict state suppression of minority activists enforced through fear tactics: censorship, imprisonment, and the ever-looming threat of public execution. Unfortunately, in the Muslim World, from Morocco to Indonesia, anti-clericalism is simply less impactful. Antisemitism offers a conspiratorial simplicity and religious license that anti-clericalism cannot match.


To be fair, the Iranian public is not a monolith. However, across the broader Middle East, animosity toward Israel and Jews is more normalized, state-supported, and woven into cultural narratives. Both Sunni and Shia clerics preach antisemitism, and even self-identified “reformist” factions rarely deviate from this line. Tehran’s ruling class may exploit antisemitism tactically, but it resonates deeply with sentiments already ingrained in the popular imagination.


Critical Question to Consider


The pivotal question any freedom-seeking Persian should ponder is: Are the Iranian people more antisemitic than anti-caliphate?


Even though nostalgia for the Shah's era may prevail among ex-pats, his rule was merely a 37-year blip in Iranian history. This time frame was an anomaly, serving as a pragmatic middle ground between the full-blown religious theocracy and a functioning democracy. Ultimately, the Shah’s rule, supported by Western forces, proved unsustainable. He was contextually dissonant. It was too foreign-backed, divorced from the ideological currents that run deep within Iranian society.


Sadly, the prevailing cultural landscape appears far more fundamentalist than many outside observers are willing to admit. As a result, the vision of a liberalizing, secular Iran celebrated by the diaspora is largely fictional. Just like in Anatolia, one must understand that Istanbul is not representative of Turkey; likewise, Tehran is not synonymous with Iran. The sentiments of the Persian countryside might provide a far more conservative perspective than the relaxed archives of 1971’s Shahyad Tower would suggest.


Analyzing the Fragility of Revolutionary Change


Revolutions typically require decades, or even centuries, before maturing into functioning democracies. Their successful instances occur when the ruling clergy is either completely severed from political authority by an atheist constitution or dismantled by the populace. In the Islamic world, however, this process confronts a unique challenge. Religion is not merely an institution; it is an omnipresent framework—political, legal, spiritual, and social.


“I bear witness that there is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

The Shahada governs the soul, while Sharia governs daily life. Unlike a layer, theology forms the very foundation upon which theocracy stands. And since mainstream Islam is ideologically at odds with democracy, the prospects for democratic transformation in such a religiously saturated environment remain bleak. This is particularly true for the spiritually indoctrinated majority that constitutes Iranian society.


Regrettably, even if the Ayatollah and his clerics were removed from power, Iran may not transition into a democratic nation. It could, instead, descend into a military dictatorship. A new regime might exploit the existing Shia identity while merely donning different robes to replace the old clerics. For a nation so deeply embedded in Islamic teachings, the emergence of democracy remains an exceedingly improbable outcome.


The Role of the Diaspora


What role does the Iranian diaspora play in this unfolding narrative? Are they envisioning a romanticized version of Persia—one that perhaps never gained widespread popularity? They must confront these uncomfortable questions.


The Impact of Conflict on Religious Identity


The entanglement of Judaism with Israeli statehood complicates matters further. Israel’s military actions are likely to intensify not only anti-settlement sentiment but also broader animosity toward Jewish identity itself. The Iranian leadership, akin to the Kim dynasty’s tyranny, faces political backlash. However, attacks on Iranian soil by the Israeli military may solidify public support for the Islamic Republic and deepen antisemitism among the populace.


This recent wave of hostility risks undermining any credibility from future Western support for regime change, regardless of the intentions behind such diplomatic efforts. In essence, reducing Tehran to ruins may only reinforce loyalty to the regime, entrenching both antisemitism and the existing theocratic structure.


The Central Question in Contemporary Discourse


Iran’s current situation invites many comparisons—to Russia’s so-called “ob-liberation” of Syria during the Battle of Aleppo, the United States’ misadventures in Iraq, or Turkey’s long decline from its best democratic attempts. However, it’s essential to focus on this core question:


“How culturally Muslim is Iran?”


While the full answer to this delicate query may be challenging to articulate, the question itself gets to the heart of the issue.


The aspiration for Persian liberation still flickers among its minorities and exiles. Enlightenment yearns for freedom, but freedom seldom comes without force. Yet, given recent military exchanges across Iraq, placing moral retribution on the likes of Benjamin Netanyahu—who has threatened to "burn Tehran"—is problematic.


If Iranians wish to envision a peaceful democratic future, they must first untangle themselves from the scriptural ties that bind them to a curse threatening their very existence.


“Wait not for the last Judgment. It occurs every day.” [6]

— Albert Camus (1913-1960),La Chute, 1956.*



The American Perspective: Politics and Religious Dynamics


Heads are turning in the United States. Network TV and podcasts bristle with commentary. Among all the noise, a significant divide has emerged: a split within MAGA over whether to support Israel’s actions against Iran [7].


Given the theological foundations of the American Right, this schism may arise from deeper issues than mere moral debates over war or nuclear anxieties. Instead, the divisions suggest a theological rift in Christian Nationalism itself.


While some Republicans cling to the belief that supporting Israel is a prerequisite for the Apocalypse [8], others have grown impatient. They may no longer view support for Israel as essential, considering it has fulfilled its Zionist purpose. This change in perspective makes the Jewish people seem disposable.


Interestingly, a frightening ideological symmetry exists between Iran and the United States. Roughly 80 million Evangelical Christians in the U.S. mirror the population of Iran, about 80 million Shia [9]. Each group, while harboring unique resentments, has been raised with differing views on the Jewish role in the world. The specter of antisemitism looms over both regions, albeit from divergent perspectives.


The mutual disdain between American Christians and Middle Eastern Muslims only compounds this issue. Might casting Jews—as a necessary step on the road to salvation—be merely a convenient narrative for fulfilling this vision?


Conclusion: Unraveling a Complicated Legacy


The road to peace begins with common ground. However, the desire to eradicate Israel—steeped in religious belief—may be a bridge too far for compromise. Understanding this shared history of conflict is essential.


The question remains: should regime change occur in Iran, will it result in a deeper entrenchment of current ideologies, or will it spark genuine pluralism?


Ironically, how can we credibly believe that America can export democracy to theocratic extremists abroad when it also faces a rising tide of authoritarianism at home?



Renamed to Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower)* after the 1979 revolution.


The Greatest Battle. AKArmageddon.











[10] The U.S.'s June 22, 2025, strike of Iran:

  • The Associated Press (2025) ‘Nations react to US strikes on Iran with many calling for diplomacy’, AP News, 22 June. Available at: AP News (Accessed: 22 June 2025).

  • The Associated Press (2025) ‘US inserts itself into Israel’s war with Iran, striking 3 Iranian nuclear sites’, AP News, 21 June. Available at: AP News (Accessed: 22 June 2025).


[11] The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, fought in November 636, marked a significant Muslim victory against the Sasanian Empire, establishing the Muslims' early Islamic expansions.

All audio is AI generated.

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