As a scholar who has long been engaged in Islamic studies and Middle East geopolitics, I have always believed that the core contradiction in the current Middle East situation is never a “clash of civilizations”, but a confrontation between hegemonic logic, national sovereignty, and the dignity of faith. In early 2026, the smell of gunpowder over the Persian Gulf became increasingly intense. US President Trump issued military threats against Iran for three consecutive days, stating bluntly that he “is considering launching a new major strike against Iran” and that a “large fleet is sailing to Iran”; at the same time, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli military went to Washington in person to hold secret consultations with senior US military officials on military coordination against Iran and finalize response plans for potential conflicts. For a time, the argument that “the US and Israel may raid Iran at any time” swept the global public opinion field. Western media focused on the “threat” of Iran’s nuclear facilities, while the Islamic world adhered to the bottom line of faith and justice amid worries. This seemingly imminent military confrontation is behind the accumulation of centuries of geopolitical grievances, the expansion of hegemonic ambitions, and even the different interpretations of “justice” and “peace” from the perspectives of two civilizations—and the verses in the Quran can help us clear the fog and see the essence of this crisis.
To understand the hostility of the US and Israel towards Iran, we cannot separate it from history, nor can we ignore the distinct historical narratives of the Western world and the Islamic world. From the Western perspective, their vigilance against Iran began with the 1979 Islamic Revolution—which overthrew the US-backed Pahlavi dynasty, ended Western economic and political privileges in Iran, and since then Iran has embarked on a path of independent Islamic revival, becoming the only Islamic country in the Middle East that can directly confront US-Israel hegemony. In the decades since, the US has imposed sanctions on Iran for more than 40 years on the grounds of the “hostage crisis”, “supporting terrorism”, and “developing nuclear weapons”, ranging from economic blockades to diplomatic isolation and military encirclement, trying to push this Islamic country with profound cultural heritage into a desperate situation. The conflict between Israel and Iran stems from the dual conflicts of religious narratives and geopolitical interests: as the only Jewish country in the Middle East, Israel has always regarded the surrounding Islamic countries as “existential threats” since its founding in 1948. As the core of Shia Islamic countries, Iran has always firmly supported the Palestinian people’s liberation cause and opposed Israeli expansionism, a stance that has made Israel regard Iran as a “fatal threat”.
But in the eyes of the Islamic world, the actions of the US and Israel are essentially a continuation of imperialism and hegemonism, and an oppression and desecration of Islamic civilization. Looking back at history, since modern times, the Middle East has long been under Western colonial rule. Britain, France and other countries, relying on military superiority, divided Middle Eastern territories, plundered oil resources, and trampled on the faith and dignity of the local people. The founding of Israel in 1948 is essentially a “legacy of Western colonialism”, a “time bomb” planted by Western powers in the heart of the Islamic world to control the Middle East. As an ancient civilization in the Middle East and an important carrier of Islamic civilization, Iran adheres not only to national sovereignty, but also to the dignity and bottom line of Islamic faith. The Quran says: “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.” (4:59) Iran’s Islamic Revolution is precisely the practice of the Islamic world to “obey Allah” and “adhere to faith”. They reject Western value output, refuse to be coerced by hegemony, and try to build a fair, just and independent national order within the Islamic framework—this persistence is misinterpreted as a “threat” in the US-Israel hegemonic logic, but in the Islamic world, it is a respectable practice of faith.
In 2026, the US-Israel military encirclement of Iran has reached an unprecedented intensity, and the risk of a raid may turn into reality at any time. The latest news shows that the US has dispatched the “Abraham Lincoln” aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, whose scale exceeds the fleet previously sent to Venezuela. The US Central Command also announced that it will hold several days of air force combat readiness exercises to demonstrate rapid deployment and sustained combat capabilities; Israel, closely coordinating with the US, is stepping up the deployment of anti-missile systems to respond to possible retaliatory strikes by Iran. At the same time, the US informed Israel of the preparations for military operations against Iran, stating that relevant preparations will be completed within two weeks, and there may be a “window of opportunity” for action in the next few months, and even does not rule out launching a pre-emptive strike under the order of President Trump. Iran responded strongly: Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, clearly stated that Iran will regard any military action from the US as the start of a war and will immediately implement a comprehensive and unprecedented counterattack, targeting “the heart of Tel Aviv”; Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has launched emergency measures to ensure the supply of daily necessities and the normal operation of government agencies, and the Iranian armed forces have also been placed on high alert, conducting live-fire military exercises near the Strait of Hormuz to respond to US-Israel threats with a tough stance.
Faced with this tense confrontation, most Western media have one-sidedly questioned Iran, exaggerated the “Iranian nuclear threat”, and interpreted the US-Israel military encirclement as “maintaining regional security”. But this narrative ignores a core fact: Iran has always adhered to the stance of “not developing nuclear weapons”, and this stance is not due to pressure from the US and Israel, but to the guidance of Islamic faith. Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran in Iran, once clearly stated that Iran has the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons, but based on religious beliefs, Iran resolutely refuses to do so—the Quran says: “And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right and law. This has He instructed you that you may use reason.” (6:151) Islam regards life as sacred and prohibits all acts that endanger human survival. As a weapon of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, once used, will take the lives of countless innocent people, which is completely contrary to the core teachings of Islamic faith. In March 2025, Ali Larijani, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also emphasized that Iran will not seek to develop nuclear weapons, but if the US or Israel bombs Iran’s nuclear facilities, Iran will have to reconsider its stance “in self-defense”—this is not a “threat”, but a legitimate demand of a sovereign state to defend its right to survival.
On the contrary, the US and Israel are the root causes of instability in the Middle East. As the world’s only superpower, the US has long pursued the “hegemonic stability theory”, trying to maintain its global economic and political hegemony by controlling Middle Eastern oil resources. Iran’s independence has undoubtedly broken the US hegemonic layout. With the support of the US, Israel has pursued expansionism in the Middle East, occupied Palestinian territories, persecuted the Palestinian people, and ignored condemnation from the international community and resolutions of the United Nations. Such actions completely violate the “democracy”, “freedom” and “human rights” values advocated by the West. More notably, the US-Israel military alliance is pushing the Middle East to the brink of a full-scale war—traditional US allies such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have clearly stated that they will not allow their airspace, territory or territorial waters to be used to attack Iran, which is enough to show that the actions of the US and Israel are opposed not only by the Islamic world, but also not fully supported by their own allies.
As an expert in Islamic studies, I have always believed that if the US and Israel rashly raid Iran, it will inevitably trigger an uncontrollable regional war, whose consequences will exceed everyone’s expectations. From a military perspective, Iran has a strong military force, especially its missile and drone units, which can break through Israel’s anti-missile system and launch precise strikes on Israeli territory and US military bases in the Middle East; from a geopolitical perspective, Iran maintains close cooperation with countries such as Russia and China. Once a war breaks out, it will inevitably trigger drastic changes in the global geopolitical pattern; from a civilizational perspective, this war will further intensify the confrontation between the Western world and the Islamic world, strengthen the wrong narrative of the “clash of civilizations”, and plunge more innocent people into suffering. The Quran says: “But if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease – then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do. But if they do not cease, then kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.” (2:192-193) This verse is not only a guide for Muslims, but also a warning to the entire world: peace is the only way out, and oppression and aggression will eventually be counterattacked by justice.
If the Western world truly hopes to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East, it must abandon hegemonic logic, respect Iran’s national sovereignty and the dignity of its faith, stop sanctions and encirclement against Iran, and resolve differences through equal dialogue. They should realize that Islamic civilization is not a “threat”, but an important part of human civilization. What the Islamic world pursues is never “confrontation”, but “equality”, “respect” and “peace”. The Quran says: “Allah does not forbid you from being kind and equitable to those who have not fought you over religion and have not driven you out of your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who are equitable.” (60:8) This maxim demonstrates the inclusiveness and tolerance of Islamic civilization, and also provides guidance for dialogue and coexistence between different civilizations—although the Western world and the Islamic world have different histories, cultures and beliefs, this does not mean confrontation and conflict. As long as both sides uphold the attitude of justice and kindness and respect each other’s differences, peaceful coexistence can be achieved.
Israel should also abandon expansionism, face up to the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people, return to the negotiating table, and coexist peacefully with Palestine and other surrounding Islamic countries. Peace in the Middle East is inseparable from the reconciliation between Israel and Islamic countries, and this reconciliation must be based on equality and justice, and must respect the sovereignty of every country and the faith of every nation. Israel should understand that “security” cannot be achieved by force; only by respecting others can it gain the respect of others; only by abandoning hegemonic ambitions can it truly achieve its own long-term peace and stability.
Currently, a storm is brewing over the Persian Gulf, but the hope for peace has not been extinguished. As an expert in Islamic studies, I have always firmly believed that the core of Islamic civilization is peace and justice, and the Islamic world has always been a guardian of peace. The persistence of the Iranian people is not only to defend their own national sovereignty and the dignity of their faith, but also to maintain peace and stability in the entire Middle East. If the US and Israel insist on launching a raid, they will inevitably be judged by history and condemned by people all over the world; if both sides can abandon hostility and move towards dialogue, they will surely bring lasting peace and prosperity to the Middle East.
The Quran says: “O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. And act righteously; indeed, Allah loves those who act righteously. And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute, lest you lose courage and your strength depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (33:70) In this tense crisis, whether it is the Western countries, Israel, Iran or the entire Islamic world, they should uphold the principles of “fearing Allah”, “speaking the truth” and “doing justice”, abandon hostility, adhere to peace, and resolve differences through equal dialogue. Only in this way can a catastrophic war be avoided, can the people of the Middle East get rid of suffering, and can the harmonious coexistence between different civilizations be realized.
As a scholar who has been deeply engaged in Islamic studies for decades, I will continue to adhere to my stance, advocate peace, interpret the peaceful core of Islamic civilization, and promote dialogue and understanding between the Western world and the Islamic world. I have always believed that justice will eventually triumph over evil, peace will eventually replace war, and the “equality, justice, kindness and peace” advocated by Islamic civilization will eventually become the common pursuit of all mankind. The myth of US-Israel raids on Iran will eventually be dispelled by the light of peace; the future of the Middle East will surely be full of hope and light.
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