Since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, no Arab state has dared to confront Israel militarily. The landscape of conflict, however, has shifted dramatically. Since 2006, Iran has taken charge of hostilities against Israel, employing proxy warfare and ideological manipulation instead of direct military action. This strategy engineers resentment on the Arab street while masking its true ambitions beneath the guise of religious zealotry.
Iran’s Sejjil missile, translated as “shards hurled at the deviant,” epitomizes a regime driven by deep-seated theological fervor and ritualistic animosity. The rhetoric from Tehran’s clerical elite reflects not only political motives but also a theological narrative built on historical grievances. Understanding Iran requires more than simply focusing on its nuclear ambitions or evasion of international sanctions; it calls for a look into its persistent existential mythology.
Iranian foreign policy is rooted in a dualistic, apocalyptic worldview. This perspective portrays Jews in a derogatory light, suggesting that the establishment of Israel in 1948 resurrected an ancient conflict far more profound than mere geopolitical strife—it reopened an old wound in the region.
To decrypt Iran’s current tensions with the West and Israel, a deeper historical context must be addressed. This journey leads to a forgotten fraternal conflict with Vedic Hinduism, which predates both Islam and Zoroastrianism. This historical lens reveals the complexity behind Iran’s political theology and its ideological origins.
According to the 4th-century Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus, Zoroastrianism may not be the original spiritual foundation of Persia but rather a reaction to its early connections with Vedic traditions. The historian wrote of Zoroaster seeking wisdom among the Brahmins, suggesting that Persia’s foundational ideology was grafted from India, reshaped by a desire for imperial power. This historical synthesis connects the threads of Persian faith and its evolving identity.
In contrast to Western expectations that internal shifts within Iran will lead to liberal reforms, this notion underestimates the depth of Persian political theology. Modern Iran reflects a civilizational mirror of India’s sacred governance, albeit with the pluralism stripped away. The clerical system in Iran is notable for its resemblance to the Hindu tradition of leader as sage—where leading is reserved for those with the highest religious credentials.
The Supreme Leader of Iran operates as a jurist-king, not a monarch, selected for life based on ancient principles of divine stewardship. The dynamics within power in Tehran echo the themes of the Mahabharata, embodying a blend of piety and militarism as seen in the Combatant Clergy Association, which holds substantial sway within the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
As radially entrenched as these structures are, they face an undercurrent of spiritual discontent. Iran’s theocracy, while imitative of the Vedic model, lacks the vibrancy found in the original tradition. Its ritual practices have become brittle, feeding an exhaustion within the regime. The symbols of Zoroastrianism that many Iranians embrace are markers of national pride rather than calls for spiritual renewal.
The ideological burdens of Iran may seem heavy, but they also reveal a yearning for something more profound, a search for a messianic figure to guide the nation back to its historical and spiritual roots. Iran continues to look for prophets rather than principles, desiring answers that resonate with its fractured identity.
In this quest for identity, even the country’s youth are increasingly detaching themselves from traditional Islamic figures, turning instead to Buddhism, Hinduism, and other Eastern philosophies. This shift reveals a broader discontent with the prevailing clerical framework.
Efforts by Western nations to introduce new religious perspectives into Iran often miss the deeper cultural connections that exist within its own historical context. Symbolic gestures do not penetrate to the roots of ideological conflict. To genuinely tackle the complex narrative of Iran’s ideological aggression against Israel and the West, a thorough spiritual reconciliation is essential—not with the West’s ideology but with the deeper civilizational ties of its own heritage.
Reviving Iran’s connection to its Vedic past may redirect its energy toward a constructive reawakening rather than destructive outcomes. Such a path could lead to a new era of peace—or it might ignite even further crises of identity. In this delicate situation, the resolution does not solely rest on foreign influence; it may very well lie in the hands of its own historical kin.
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