THE ISLAMIC STATE ATTACKS IRAN
Image Source: The New York Times
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the bombings on January 3 during a memorial service for Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Kerman, Iran, by the US in January 2020. Soleimani, the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite Quds Force, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during his lifetime. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the third major incident that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for was the Kerman bombing, which left over 200 people injured and at least 84 people dead. This demonstrates the increasing danger that Tehran faces from terrorism. The incident happens at a time when West Asian fears of an Israeli-Iranian regional conflict are rising.
Why is Iran the focus of the IS?
As a Sunni Salafi-Jihadist organization, the IS views Iran, a Shia theocracy (Post the Islamic revolution, the deposition of the ‘Shah’, Mohammad Raza Pahlavi and the installation of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as the Supreme leader of Iran), as a competitor ideology as well as a potential combatant. The IS is well-known for its sectarian brutality against Shias, whom they regard as the Rafidha (rejectionists), a name that Sunni extremists use to disparagingly describe the Shias. According to them, the first three [Sunni] Caliphs of Islam—Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman—were rejected by the Shia community. Shias are viewed by the IS as apostates who practice idolatry, or shirk, and as such, not true Muslims. Shias experienced systematic brutality and persecution in the areas of Iraq and Syria that the Islamic State (IS) controlled from 2014 to 2018.
Since Iran-backed militias were instrumental in fighting the jihadists in both Iraq and portions of Syria (Where a Shia leader i.e. Bashar Al-Assad is leading a Sunni majority population), the IS regards Iran as a formidable opponent on the battlefield. The first propaganda movie in Farsi, titled “Persia between yesterday and today,” was released by the IS unit stationed in Iraq, Wilayat Diyala, in March 2017. The video called on Iranian Sunnis to pledge allegiance to the “Caliphate” and revolt against and overthrow the Iranian regime. The IS has been distributing loud propaganda in Persian ever since. The Islamic State (IS) intended to extend its territory beyond Afghanistan to “other nearby lands,” mainly Iran. Three months following the video’s broadcast, the IS orchestrated a concerted assault on Iran’s Parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini’s tomb murdering a minimum of 17 individuals. It was the Islamic State’s declaration of war against the Islamic Republic.
It must also be said that this could also result in a proxy war between the U.S.A. and Russia. Iran, who had chosen to snub American interests (By choosing to not follow American orders of increasing their oil production to help fill in the void left by the ban on Russian crude oil imports, and to achieve economic homeostasis) and establish closer ties with the Russian Federation must be vary of this possibility. Attacks by the Islamic State on Iran could also be the U.S. sending a message in disguise. The U.S.A. already opposes the Bashar Al-Assad led government in Syria (Because the Al-Assads have always had warm relations with Russia), constantly troubling and nagging them for an alleged use of chemical weapons in the ongoing civil war. With the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, failure of sanction politics intended to cripple the Russian economy, and the present American regime’s overt allegiance to Ukraine, the possibility of the U.S. resorting to these means is not fantastical. It is also natural to assume, after American support for Israel in the ongoing Gaza crisis, that Iran needed to be pacified.
At a point of time where geopolitical tensions are alarmingly tense, these attacks will only worsen the situation.
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- News Writer
- Ishaan Shahabadi is an individual driven by a diligent passion for international affairs, politics, reading, and writing. With a comprehensive understanding of these subjects, he possesses the expertise to add significant value and seamlessly integrate into the proposed process. Ishaan is committed to prioritizing assigned tasks, meeting deadlines, and ensuring optimal performance, showcasing a robust work ethic. His dedication and proficiency make him a valuable asset, ready to contribute meaningfully to any project or initiative he undertakes.
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