A shift in global power in a world at War

BALLISTICS MISSILES

- ROSHAN JAINATH

THE Middle East burns once more. Skies glow with the eerie light of conflict, drawing the world into another chapter of violence in a land both cursed and holy - the birthplace of prophets and the site of endless strife. Here, truth remains perpetually on the cross, crucified by those who claim divine favour while perpetuating earthly suffering.

The Ayatollah Khamenei is dead. To the West, he was a monster. A hardline cleric condemned as evil by leaders and media alike. But step back from the rhetoric. Was he evil, or was he simply conservative?

In any nation, a conservative holds traditional views. In the West, that might mean opposing abortion on religious grounds. In Iran, a cleric governs by his interpretation of Islamic law. It is a matter of doctrine, not a mark of brutality.

Iran calls itself an Islamic Republic, a system of governance shaped by faith, much as some view America’s recent embrace of Christian nationalism. It is a political stance, not a death squad.

The Ayatollah was never the demon they painted. He was a product of his beliefs, ruling a nation by its own rules. And now, with his passing, that era, for better or worse, is laid to rest. The narrative of Iranian aggression requires similar examination. Iran leads what it calls the "Axis of Resistance", claiming to fight only when provoked, typically in response to conflicts sparked by Israeli expansionist policies and American neoconservative influences.

Unlike its regional adversaries, Iran has not initiated wars of aggression against neighbours. Consider the actual bombing campaigns across the region.