5 Reasons why the stage is set for 2023
The history between the two countries is long and complicated. It’s no secret that the Muslim nation of Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map.
But it wasn’t always this way.
Shortly after Israel gained its independence in 1948, an Israeli embassy was established in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Trade relations ensued between the countries. Iran sold oil to Israel, and Israel sold weapons to Iran. Read more here.
Then, in 1979, a new leader came to power during the Iranian Revolution. Relations between Iran and both Israel and the United States ruptured abruptly when Ayatollah Khamenei labeled the U.S. the “Great Satan” and Israel the “Little Satan.”
According to the United States Institute of Peace: “Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described Israel in 2000 as a ‘cancerous tumor’ that ‘must be uprooted from the region.’”
Since that time, Iran has worked with Hezbollah—a terror organization, criminal cartel, and political party all rolled into one—to build up Iran’s military arsenal in preparation for a war against Israel. I encourage you to watch a 5-minute Prager U video about Hezbollah here.
Why Israel?
Why are Iran and its collation of Arab nations so intent on destroying Israel? The conflict dates to over 4,000 years to the rivalry between the sons of Abraham—Ishmael and Isaac. Read Genesis 15-18 here.
More recently, however, much of the conflict stems from the fact that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. When Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada (2006-2015), was asked why he supported Israel his response was,
“Why wouldn’t I support Israel? Why wouldn’t I support a fellow Democratic nation where open elections, free speech, and religious tolerance are the everyday norm… To say that Israeli Muslims are the freest Muslims in the region would be an understatement, to say the least. Why wouldn’t I support free, vibrant, innovative Israel.” Watch Harper’s full statement here.
Although this drama has been ongoing for decades, we’re going to look at the top 5 reasons why the current geo-political landscape makes a confrontation between the two countries appear imminent:
5. The Ayatollah’s regime in Iran is in serious trouble.
On Christmas Day, 2022, protests in Iran reached their 100th day. The uprising started in mid-September when a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, took off her hijab (head scarf) and was beaten to death by Iran’s “morality police.” You can read more about this here.
The authoritarian government is experiencing the biggest challenge to its authority in decades as protestors chant, "death to the dictator" and "we don't want an Islamic Republic." The regime is trying to hold onto its power by shutting down internet service and arresting protestors.
How does this play in the Iran-Israel conflict? History shows us that anxious dictators do desperate things to hold on to power.
4. Iran has taken military control of Israel’s neighbors.
Other major developments have transpired in the Middle Eastern region which serve to further threaten Israel. The buffer which used to exist between Iran and Israel has been encroached upon by the much larger, sole aggressor in this conflict—Iran. (See map below.)
A new coalition between Iran and Russia is playing out like a large-scale, global chess match. Through a series of smaller, seemingly inconsequential moves, the power has shifted from several smaller nations, including Syria and Iraq, to Iran. You can read more about Russia’s involvement with Iran here.
“The bottom line is that Iraq fell into the hands of Iran. There is no longer a major political rival in Iraq which can challenge the Iranian-backed forces attempting to control the country,” according to Amir Tsarfati, who served as a Major in Israel’s Army. You can watch the full video here.
3. Iran is no longer denying its nuclear capabilities
Until recently, Iran’s nuclear program was the biggest open secret in the international community. Not only is Iran no longer denying it, but the Islamic Republic is also now claiming that they have “the right” to enrich uranium to 90% for the purpose of generating electricity, in defiance of U.N. sanctions.
As one reporter put it, “Iran is enriching uranium at levels ‘only countries making bombs are reaching’.” Read more here.
And guess who is helping them to build more nuclear reactors? Russia! See the article here.
But wait … wasn’t the whole point of the Iran Deal under Barak Obama to prevent this from happening? Obama told us in 2015 that this deal is "our best means of assuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon"? Read the Huffington Post article here.
Well, he lied. And he later admitted it, according to CBS. I know it’s shocking, but the $1.7 billion in cash the Obama administration poured into Iran helped them to develop their nuclear program.
2. Israel’s biggest ally—the U.S.—may not be coming to its defense.
During the “peace through strength” days of the Reagan Administration and the pro-Israel era of the Trump presidency, no one dared to touch the Jewish nation for fear of retaliation. As our key ally in the Middle East in the global fight against terrorism, Israel was off limits. Tragically, this is no longer the case.
The Biden Administration not only lacks the ability and will to defend Israel, but it also continues to empower Iran! In July 2022, Gateway Pundit reported that Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the disastrous deal by committing $1 trillion by 2030.
Of course, this conceals a much larger issue. Why is the United States sending our tax dollars to a treacherous, totalitarian regime with a nuclear bomb threatening to wipe out of greatest ally in the Middle East? How is this not treason? That’s a discussion for a different day.
1. Netanyahu is back in power in Israel
The number one reason why the stage is set for a showdown is that, at the same time that Iran is imploding, Israel is at the top of its game.
On Thursday, December 29, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in [again] as the Prime Minister of Israel. After five elections in four years, Bibi is back in power. Read more about his historic comeback here.
What is he saying is his top priority? He is vowing that his first act will be to stop Iran’s nuclear program. And why wouldn’t it be?
“We came to drive out the darkness, and the largest darkness that threatens the world today is a nuclear Iran,” he said. “We are bound to do all we can to prevent this darkness. If possible we will do this diplomatically, if not we will act as ‘a light unto the nations’,” according to The Times of Israel.
Israel’s leadership has made it abundantly clear that a nuclear Iran poses an existential threat to their homeland. Therefore, they believe a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities may be justified.
In response, the Iranian government released a video on December 26 issuing an intimidating message to Israel. They warned that the city of Tel Aviv will be razed to the ground (i.e. demolished) if they even attempt to hit their nuke sites. You can watch the video here.
The Wrap-up
To be clear, the Iran-Israel conflict isn’t two superpowers facing off, as during the Cold War. No, Iran is like the bully on the playground hell-bent on harassing the youngest and smallest child in the yard. For comparison’s sake, Israel is the size of New Jersey, and Iran is the size of California, Texas, Montana, and Idaho combined!
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Iran has enlisted all of its thug friends to join in.
If only we knew how this all would end. Stay tuned as we discuss how these events play into Biblical prophecy in the last days.
Thanks for reading today and remember to always pursue the Truth.