Here is a bit of background for the backgrounder provided by Elijah J. Magnier. Iran's Leader of the Revolution is Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. Born in 1939, he was President of Iran from 1981until 1989, when succeeded Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini.
In addition to being the supreme theocrat, the Grand Ayatollah is also a good strategist, with a comprehensive vision for Iran
Most Iranians are Shi'ite, a sect that comprises about 10% of the worldwide Islamic population. Iran is the center of Shi'a, with the Grand Ayatollah occupying a position that may be compared to the medieval Popes.
There has been tension between the majority Sunnis and the Shi'ites since the disagreements that arose among the Prophet's followers after his passing. This has been a running feud, comparable to the historical conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Western Christendom.
Islamic leaders in general, along with Christian leaders, are traditionalists and they have a much narrower view of liberalism than prevails socially and politically in the West, which they view as libertinism. They view the Western concept of freedom as license. This sets traditionalists, even liberal traditionalists, at odds with the prevailing Western liberalism driven by consumerism, with economic utility being interpreted as gratification.
Christendom, like Islam, is not only a religion of many sects and schools of thought, but also a cultural and institutional phenomenon that is social, political and economic. Without understand the historical dynamic, it is impossible to understand the historical dialectic. When Israel is added to the mix the situation becomes even more complicated, since Judaism, like Christendom and Islam, as not only a religion but also a cultural and institutional phenomenon. These world views are traditionalist and in opposition to much of Western liberalism, especially its contemporary form.
Thus, the attempt to impose "Western values" on traditional societies is viewed as not only contradictory in that it is illiberal, but also immoral. Unfortunately, modern ideological conflict is reminiscent of medieval religious wars.
Elijah J. Magnier — Middle East Politics
Iran’s Leader of the Revolution recommends four steps for confronting the US
See also
Moon of Alabama
Iran Decided To Put Maximum Pressure On Trump - Here Is How It Will Do It
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