By Dr. Malik Muhammad Shafi

“History is not just the past. It is the pulse of the present and the shadow of the future.”

In the arid heart of the Middle East, a simmering fault line stretches across deserts, mountains, and seas. It is not just a political boundary, but a spiritual scar — a clash of visions, a contest of memory, and a battleground of futures. Between Iran and Israel lies more than enmity; there lies an unresolved story of gods, kings, thrones, and missiles. As the world watches their ongoing confrontation spiral into a potential global crisis, one must ask: is this just another war, or a much older narrative reaching its climax?

Echoes from the Past

To understand the Iran–Israel conflict, one must first step beyond news headlines and military communiqués. The seeds were not planted yesterday. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran declared Israel an illegitimate occupier of Muslim lands, aligning itself with causes like Palestine and movements such as Hezbollah. In turn, Israel — the only nuclear power in the region — viewed Iran’s ambition as existentially dangerous, particularly its push for regional hegemony and its nuclear program.

Their conflict has rarely been direct. For decades, they waged war through proxies, intelligence operations, and sabotage missions — in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and cyberspace. But now, in 2025, the veil is torn. Missiles are flying openly. Nuclear sites are bombed. Civilians are dying. Markets are crashing.

A World on Edge

In June 2025, the world felt the heat of their cold war turning hot. After a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, Tehran launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israeli cities. Though Israel's Iron Dome and U.S. interceptors neutralized most threats, several made impact — killing civilians in Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Oil prices surged overnight. Brent crude breached $91. The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil flows, was under threat. Insurance for tankers skyrocketed. European and Asian markets panicked. Inflation, just beginning to cool after the COVID-19 aftermath and Ukraine war, spiked again. The world held its breath, hoping the Middle East would not become its economic graveyard.

The Ideological Abyss

But beneath the bombs and sanctions lies something far older, deeper — and darker.
Israel is not just a state; to many of its supporters and leaders, it is a prophecy fulfilled. The idea of Greater Israel, derived from Genesis 15:18, envisions territory “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” While mainstream Israeli policy does not openly advocate this, certain political and religious factions keep the idea alive. For them, modern geopolitics is the stage upon which biblical promises must unfold.

Part of that promise includes the Third Temple, to be built on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. The first two were destroyed — the last by the Romans in 70 CE. Today, a mosque stands in that sacred place. Yet, some Jewish nationalist and Christian Zionist movements hope — even plan — for its reconstruction. To them, it is not merely architecture. It is destiny.

Iran sees this differently. To Tehran’s clerics, Israel is the embodiment of arrogance — a Western implant and a threat to Muslim sanctity. They believe in the arrival of the Mahdi, the Shia messiah, and view Israel’s demise as part of an eschatological chain reaction. In this view, every drone strike, every martyr, every sanction pushes the world closer to divine justice.

And then comes Armageddon!

Empires and Coronation Chairs

Why does this conflict echo so deeply in the West?

Perhaps because the West itself is not immune to religious theater. Consider the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey, upon which British monarchs are crowned. Beneath it lies the Stone of Scone, believed in medieval lore to be the pillow stone of Jacob, the biblical patriarch. British imperialism was not only about ships and colonies — it was about continuity with biblical authority. Monarchs crowned on that chair were not just rulers. They were heirs of Solomon.

When Western powers support Israel, consciously or not, some see it as fulfilling that ancient line. It is why Christian Zionism thrives in Washington and why so many U.S. presidents quote the Bible when defending Middle East policies.

Future Fire or Flicker of Hope?

What comes next?

Three possibilities present themselves:

1. De-escalation: Cooler heads may prevail. The U.S., EU, and Gulf States could mediate a return to diplomacy. Oil stabilizes. The rhetoric calms. Another round of deals, deadlines, and fragile ceasefires begins.

2. Escalation: Israel could strike deeper. Iran could unleash Hezbollah and the Houthis. The U.S. may get dragged in. Global oil supply collapses. Prices soar. The global economy staggers under inflation and instability.

3. Internal Collapse: Iran, under sanctions and unrest, could face civil breakdown. Or it could become even more radicalized. Either way, the region enters a new era — either of hope or horror.

The Price of Prophecy

At the heart of it all, one question looms: can politics ever escape prophecy?

Can Israel define itself without invoking the Bible? Can Iran imagine a future not shaped by martyrs and messiahs? Can the world convince these two ancient civilizations that survival, not supremacy, is the highest form of power?

History suggests it is difficult. But not impossible.

Final Reflections

This is not just a story of missiles and ministers. It is a story of ancient stones and sacred texts. Of dreams written in fire and futures sketched in sand. Iran and Israel are not merely enemies. They are mirrors of each other’s myths. Until both confront their reflections — and choose reality over revelation — the fire will burn on.

And the world will keep paying the Price!

Dr. Malik Muhammad Shafi is an academic, researcher, and author specializing in development studies, social sciences, and international affairs. With over two decades of research and teaching experience, his work bridges classical scholarship with contemporary geopolitical and socio-economic challenges. He has authored several academic publications and is deeply engaged in research on development policy, global conflicts, and the role of emerging technologies in social transformation.