(fyiteam)Iran, formerly known as Persia until 1935, has a population of nearly 90 million and an area of approximately 1.65 million square kilometers, making it around 12.5 times larger than Greece. Shiite Muslims comprise 90-95% of the population.
One Religion, Two Worlds
Islam is divided into two main groups: the Shiites, predominant in countries like Iran and Iraq, and the Sunnis, found predominantly in countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. This division stems from the question of the succession of the Prophet Muhammad, which emerged immediately after his death in 632 AD.
Sunnis constitute approximately 85-90% of the Muslim population worldwide.
(fyiteam)1979 marked the transformation of Iran from a secular, religiously free state to a theocratic one.
This transformation occurred through the Iranian (or Islamic) Revolution, which entailed the overthrow of the Iranian shah (king) in 1979 and establishing an Islamic republic led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Ruhollah Khomeini, the revolution’s leader, introduced a new worldview that vigorously championed Islam and promoted resistance against “arrogant” world powers and their allies, whom he believed oppressed others to further their interests.
The revolution initially lacked a clear ideological identity; its primary goal was overthrowing the Shah. Consequently, Khomeini and his organized supporters emerged as dominant forces and imposed their views, eliminating opposition groups.
Following the revolution, religious leaders assumed control of the state administration, and laws were grounded in spiritual principles.
Leftists and intellectuals who participated in the revolution were systematically sidelined from positions of power, while there was a regression in women’s rights.
Groups emerged to patrol the streets, enforcing Islamic dress codes and behavior in accordance with the revolution’s principles. They also punished individuals perceived as revolution enemies.
(fyiteam)According to the theocratic constitution of Iran, the Supreme Leader holds the highest authority, surpassing all other individuals and institutions. He commands the army, security services, secret services, and the Revolutionary Guards and has the sole authority to declare war.
The President, elected by the people, holds the second most powerful position and is entrusted with upholding the Constitution and leading the executive branch, with the exception of matters directly under the purview of the Supreme Leader.
(fyiteam)The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is an elite military force in Iran that is separate from the regular army. It was established after the Iranian Revolution at the direction of Ayatollah Khomeini, to whom it is subordinate. The IRGC operates as a parallel military structure, including ground forces, navy, and air force units.
Their primary mission is to safeguard against potential coups and uphold the state’s ideology.
With hundreds of thousands of soldiers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps wields significant domestic and international power.
They have equipped and trained armed groups in neighboring countries (Iraq, Yemen, Syria), the most important of which is Hezbollah, which the IRGC essentially founded to export the ideas of the Islamic Revolution and counter the Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon in 1982.
(fyiteam)Until 1979, the two countries enjoyed friendly relations, with Iran being one of the first countries to recognize Israel in 1950.
However, after the Islamic Revolution, Iran began viewing the US as the “Great Satan” and Israel as the “Little Satan,” leading to a complete severance of ties between them.
Israel sees the hatred of Iran as stemming from the Tehran regime’s ambition to spread ideological revolution and Islamic ideology throughout the Middle East.
The rivalry became worse when Iran started funding armed organizations such as the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Sunni Hamas in Gaza.
(fyiteam)The conflict between Iran and Israel primarily manifests through proxy warfare.
However, over the years, there have been attacks within and beyond each state’s borders, with neither side officially acknowledging responsibility.
This tactic is commonly called “shadow warfare,” with episodes becoming known based on severity.
At the heart of this covert conflict lies Iran’s nuclear program.
There have also been numerous instances of sabotage attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, which Tehran has attributed to Israel.
Israel and the US are believed to be behind the Stuxnet malware, which caused extensive damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities in the 2000s. Additionally, there have been numerous instances of sabotage attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, which Tehran has attributed to Israel.
The most significant episode, however, was the assassination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in 2020. He was killed by an AI-powered weapon that self-destructed to eliminate evidence.
Conversely, Israel and Western nations accuse Iran of orchestrating a series of drone attacks on ships linked to Israeli interests and engaging in cyberattacks.
(fyiteam)What does Israel say?
Israel, widely believed to possess secret nuclear weapons itself, has pledged never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear bomb.
Israel claims that Iran possesses an amount of enriched uranium sufficient to develop nuclear bombs within a matter of weeks potentially.
What does Iran say?
Tehran has repeatedly asserted that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes and not for military use.
(fyiteam)In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with world powers (permanent members of the UN AND EU) that effectively prevented Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
The agreement was terminated when then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, allowing Iran to continue its nuclear program unchecked.
Iran’s primary nuclear facilities are situated deep underground, nestled beneath mountains for enhanced protection.
