Iran: Why Part of the "Axis of Evil"?

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon considers Iran to be as dangerous as Iraq and a "center of world terror." Why should this be so?

by John Ross Schroeder

Philip Sherwell is the foreign affairs correspondent of Britain's Sunday Telegraph, a highly respected newspaper, one of the nation's very best. He titled one of his major international affairs articles, "Russia Adds Range to Iran's Latest Missiles" (Nov. 20, 2002). His introductory words were: "Iran has long been supplied by Russia with powerful new technology and parts for long-range missiles that will put Israel and the whole of the Middle East—including British and U.S. forces in the region—within its reach."

Mr. Sherwell then added: "The missiles' range...would also allow Iran to strike parts of North Africa and of South-Eastern Europe." Heavy stuff!

Earlier in November, two of The Times' correspondents interviewed Ariel Sharon of Israel. Mr. Sharon commented: "Iran makes every effort to possess weapons of mass destruction... That is a danger to the Middle East, to Israel, and a danger to Europe" (Nov. 5, 2002). The Israeli prime minister regards Iran as "behind terror all around the world." As soon as the Iraqi problem is resolved, Mr. Sharon would like to see Iran at the apex of America's "to do" list. (Recent developments in North Korea may make that possibility unlikely.)

The Daily Telegraph correspondent in Washington, D.C., reported, "The White House expressed 'great concerns' over the secret Iranian nuclear plants which it suspects could be used to produce elements of atomic weapons" (Dec. 14, 2002). The Economist adds that "suspicion has just been heightened by (a) report of new evidence from satellite photographs of nuclear installations in Iran" (Dec. 21, 2002).

These news stories are merely the tip of the iceberg, reflecting expressions of concern about present-day Iranian activities. However, in order to properly understand current affairs in Iran, we first need to very briefly review the nation's history.

What makes Iran dangerous

The Persian Empire was founded some 2,530 years ago. Like Poland, ancient Persia (officially renamed Iran in 1935) has been a crossroads country. As an inevitable consequence, it has suffered a turbulent and violent history. In their turn, both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan conquered its territory.

But perhaps the invasion of greater concern for us today was when Islamic Arabs conquered Persia in the 600s. That is how Islam was seemingly permanently implanted in the nation. Then when the shah was exiled in 1979, governmental power passed directly into the hands of the Islamic mullahs.

According to the 10th edition of Andrew Boyd's An Atlas of World Affairs, these mullahs imposed a regime which became notorious for religious persecution. They also "made ruthless use of fanatical assassins in Europe and elsewhere," while enforcing a strict Islamic orthodoxy.

Former Middle Eastern correspondent Robin Wright (also author of a book about Iran) summed up the nation's plight in Foreign Affairs magazine: "A generation after it seized power, Iran's revolutionary regime is deeply fractured by intense political divisions, endangered by economic disorder, discredited by rampant corruption and smothered in social restrictions no longer acceptable to large sectors of its changing population."

We may add to this tale of national woes a rogue death squad, newspaper censoring and closures, student unrest, political trials and persecutions against the Jewish minority. An Islamic theocratic regime with revolutionary goals and purposes far more sinister than that of merely helping Iranian citizens to find their way in the modern world, makes for a clear and present danger not only to its own people, but potentially to neighbor nations as well.

Of course, some observers hold the optimistic view that "whatever happens in the short term, religious rule is doomed in Iran" (The Economist, Dec. 21, 2002). A vocal opposition to the clerical rule that now grips the country has emerged in recent years.

Essential Facts About Iran

Population: an estimated 70 million.

Ethnic groups: Persian (about half), Azerbaijani Turks, Kurdish and Arab minorities.

Capital city: Tehran.

Religion: primarily Islam.

Government: a theocratic Islamic republic under the constitution of 1979 (revised, 1989).

Law: codified Islamic principles of government.

Economic mainstay: oil and gas (82.5 percent of export revenues).

Oil reserves: estimated at 8.5 percent of the world's proven reserves (end of 2001).
Sources: The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th edition), Economist.com.

"Neighbours from hell"

The above phrase is the title of a recent Economist article about Iran and Iraq (Dec. 14, 2002). Iran's rulers have no love for Saddam Hussein. After all, the 1980s war between the two countries cost Iran half a million lives and around $70 billion.

But as The Economist article explains, "Iran's anti-American ideology prevents it from allying itself wholeheartedly with Mr. Bush to unseat Mr. Hussein; there is a national animus against America's president for putting Iran alongside Iraq in his 'axis of evil.'"

Iran does not want future Iraqi leadership to be dominated by a government overly friendly to the United States. It's as simple as that.

Yet Iran finds itself in a catch-22 dilemma. The Daily Telegraph observed, "Despite the deep hostility that exists between Washington and Teheran, America has reached some tentative understandings with Iran as the Bush administration prepares for a possible war with Baghdad, a common enemy"
(Dec. 14, 2002).

Clearly there is a complex web of love/hate relationships between Middle Eastern countries, often further complicated not only by pressures from more powerful outside nations, but also by the presence of Kurdish and other minorities within each country.

The hostage crisis, beginning in late 1979, led to a steady deterioration in Iranian/American relations. It remains an unpleasant memory for many U.S. citizens.

The highly volatile Mideast

The perceived Iranian threat is just one more reminder that our 21st century world is both hopelessly divided and explosively dangerous. Much of this unrest is, of course, centered in the Middle East. In fact, Bible prophecy tells us that the final Armageddon—symbolic of the world's last great battle—will occur in that region of the globe.

You need to understand the intriguing details of these biblical prophecies as well as the overall framework in which they will play out. Our free brochure, Is the Bible True? has a chapter ("The Bible and Prophecy") that focuses on Daniel 11—the longest continuous prophetic chapter in the Bible. The focus of that particular chapter is the Middle East.

What we can tell you now is the ultimate outcome of all these coming events. Oil, land, war and murky politics will cease to be the primary focus of Middle Eastern life. Instead, this region will become the spiritual headquarters of planet earth with Jerusalem as the capital city of the world. From there the reigning Jesus Christ will look after the best interests of all countries, peoples and races. At last there will be peace on earth toward all men of good will.

The Middle East will again be a land of promise, a place that will spread peace, prosperity and godly spirituality to the entire globe. God speed that day! WNP

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