Many people in the West wonder why Iran hasn’t collapsed despite sanctions, international isolation, military pressure, and economic problems. Some even ask why Tehran appears stronger and more influential in parts of the Islamic world today than before the war. The answer has less to do with missiles, oil, or diplomacy than many believe. It has to do with identity. With faith. With an understanding of history and a shared mission.
While the West has increasingly suppressed its religious and spiritual roots from public life, a large part of the Middle East still thinks and acts in religious terms. Anyone who doesn’t understand this difference will understand neither Iran nor the current developments in the region. That’s precisely why it’s worth taking a closer look at a seemingly insignificant scene at the funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Because there it became clear why some societies hold together even under enormous pressure, and why others increasingly struggle to explain what they actually stand for. Those who know who they are cannot be easily defeated.
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