Understanding Religion is the Key to Understanding the Iran-Israel Conflict

The Ayatollah views Israel not only as a political enemy, but as a theological offence

A picture posted on Twitter yesterday by Iran’s Ayatollah warning of what he is about to do

It is almost impossible to grasp the true nature of the Iran-Israel conflict if you do not understand religion.

While analysts pontificate about geopolitics, military strategy, and nuclear ambitions, the conflict is not really about any of those things.

At the heart of what’s going on lies a deeply religious and ideological struggle - particularly from the Iranian side.

It’s important to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not merely a nation-state; it is a theocratic regime founded on the belief that politics must serve a divine mission.

I can just hear ABC viewers reading that last sentence and thinking to themselves, ‘Ah yes, like the Morrison Government’.

But I digress.

Central to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s mission is the Shia concept of wilayat al-faqih - clerical rule until the return of the Mahdi, also known as the twelfth Imam.

Iranian leaders believe that global injustice, including the existence of Israel, delays the Mahdi’s return.

When you understand that, you understand how the Iranians view Israel. Israel is not just a political enemy - it is a theological offense.