Why does Iran hate Israel?

Landon Caeli said:

Can someone please provide a logical argument to justify Iran's hatred for Israel, and the reasoning for their constant funding of terrorist groups to "wipe Israel off the map"?

Why is Israel the "Little Satan" to Iran?

What confuses me the most, is that Iran is not the same type of Muslim as Iran's population. And they're not even neighbors who share borders... Please explain this Iranian hatred.

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It’s not Iran per de that hates Israel. It’s more their particular version of Islam that rabidly hates Israel and the Jewish people.

Landon Caeli said:

Can someone please provide a logical argument to justify Iran's hatred for Israel, and the reasoning for their constant funding of terrorist groups to "wipe Israel off the map"?

Why is Israel the "Little Satan" to Iran?

What confuses me the most, is that Iran is not the same type of Muslim as 'Palestine's' population. And they're not even neighbors who share borders... Please explain this Iranian hatred.

Click to expand...

The Balfour Declaration and the Zionist Movement in the early 20th century.


The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I. It announced British support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people," with the important caveat that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine." ( unfortunatly ingored) This declaration played a crucial role in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the eventual establishment of the State of Israel.

Later this happened: ( this is historical and well documented) .

* After 1948 (Nakba): Between 1948 and 1954, Israel systematically demolished 418 Palestinian villages, which constituted 85% of all Palestinian villages. This occurred after the establishment of the State of Israel and the displacement of a large number of Palestinians.
* After 1967 (Occupation): The process intensified significantly after Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza in the 1967 war.
* Within days of the 1967 conquest, the Mughrabi Quarter in front of the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem was demolished, evicting 650 Palestinians from their homes to make way for a plaza.
* Three entire villages in the Latrun area (Imwas, Yalo, and Bayt Nuba) were destroyed, with their inhabitants expelled, and the area was later turned into "Canada Park."
* Since 1967, Israeli bulldozers have demolished more than 56,500 Palestinian homes.
* Punitive house demolitions, often based on British Mandate-era regulations, also became a practice after 1967, targeting homes of Palestinians suspected or convicted of attacks against Israelis.
Therefore, while the Balfour Declaration laid some groundwork for the political developments in the region, the widespread demolition of Palestinian homes began with the 1948 war and significantly increased after the 1967 occupation.

Then is happened:
The 1979 Iranian Revolution. It was only after the revolution that Iran adopted its strong pro-Palestinian stance and became a significant supporter of Palestinian groups.

Landon Caeli said:

Can someone please provide a logical argument to justify Iran's hatred for Israel, and the reasoning for their constant funding of terrorist groups to "wipe Israel off the map"?

Why is Israel the "Little Satan" to Iran?

What confuses me the most, is that Iran is not the same type of Muslim as 'Palestine's' population. And they're not even neighbors who share borders... Please explain this Iranian hatred.

Click to expand...

Because Israel is a Western-oriented secular state imposed on the former Ottoman Palestine and forceably settled with European immigrants. Shiites and Sunnis are prepared to set aside much of their traditional antagonism in the face of it.

The desire of the Islamic regime in Iran to wipe Israel off the map is based on their understanding of Shia Islam. The reason the regime's army calls themselves "revolutionary" (the R in IRGC) is because the 1979 revolution wasn't the end - it was the beginning of the revolution. Conquering Iran was the beginning of their Shia revolution, conquering Israel (the "little Satan") - the thorn in the side of the Islamic empire - is the second step of the revolution, and destroying the US, the "great Satan", will be the final stage of their revolution.

Here's a 10-minute clip where an Iranian dissident explains the regime's obsession with Israel:

[Note: Christians know the Mahdi as the Antichrist. He is accompanied by the Islamic Jesus.]

Grok AI:

Some Iranian leaders, particularly those within the hardline factions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and aligned with Twelver Shia theology, believe that the destruction of Israel is a necessary precursor to the return of the Mahdi, the messianic figure in Shia Islam. This belief stems from an interpretation of Mahdism, which holds that the Mahdi will reappear to establish justice and Islamic rule after a period of global upheaval, including the removal of perceived obstacles to his return. According to a 2022 Middle East Institute paper, the IRGC increasingly frames its policy of eradicating Israel through the lens of Mahdism, viewing Israel’s existence as the “greatest barrier” to the Mahdi’s reappearance. Religious hadiths cited by hardline clergy affiliated with the IRGC claim that the “Jewish state will be destroyed before Mahdi’s arrival,” positioning Iran and its proxies as agents to facilitate this event.

However, this view is not universally held among Iranian leaders. Mahdism’s political prominence grew under figures like former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who explicitly linked Iran’s policies to preparing for the Mahdi’s return, but it has been less emphasized by more pragmatic leaders. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has supported the ideological indoctrination of the IRGC, including Mahdist beliefs, but his public rhetoric often focuses on strategic and geopolitical goals, such as countering Western influence, rather than solely eschatological aims. Some analysts suggest that Mahdism serves as a tool for radicalizing IRGC members and justifying hostility toward Israel, rather than a literal blueprint for all Iranian policy.

Skeptics of this narrative, including some Western and Iranian scholars, argue that Iran’s actions are primarily driven by rational, state-centric motives—such as regional dominance and deterrence—rather than apocalyptic ideology. They point out that Iran’s leadership has shown calculated pragmatism, avoiding direct, suicidal confrontations with Israel or the U.S. The 2017 digital clock in Tehran counting down to Israel’s destruction by 2040, for instance, is seen by some as rhetorical posturing to rally domestic and regional support, not a literal timeline tied to Mahdist prophecy.

In short, while a segment of Iran’s leadership, especially within the IRGC, ties Israel’s destruction to the Mahdi’s return, this belief is not monolithic across the regime. It’s a mix of ideological fervor among hardliners and strategic rhetoric, with varying degrees of influence on actual policy.

Friedrich Rubinstein said:

The desire of the Islamic regime in Iran to wipe Israel off the map is based on their understanding of Shia Islam. The reason the regime's army calls themselves "revolutionary" (the R in IRGC) is because the 1979 revolution wasn't the end - it was the beginning of the revolution. Conquering Iran was the beginning of their Shia revolution, conquering Israel (the "little Satan") - the thorn in the side of the Islamic empire - is the second step of the revolution, and destroying the US, the "great Satan", will be the final stage of their revolution.

Here's a 10-minute clip where an Iranian dissident explains the regime's obsession with Israel:

Click to expand...

Elica de Bon is controversially informative.
Her view is that Iran wants to destroy Israel for religious reasons. If they eliminate Israel, then the Hidden Imam can return and we will see a restoration of global justice. But neither Khomeini nor Khamenei have explicitly argued in public for the destruction of Israel - instead, they both suggest its inevitable demise. Also, both are protective of the rights of Iranian Jews inside Iran so this is not straightforward anti-semitism either.

That said, the Iranian government is pursuing a policy directed at the elimination of a Zionist regime and the restoration of "Palestine" to Muslim control, and they have been using their proxies to do that. Obama and Biden both pursued a policy of appeasement toward the regime that was spectacularly ineffective. This is a regime that argued for and appears to support Hamas's human shield policy as a way of maximising the negative effects on Israel's reputation as casualties in Gaza mount.

mindlight said:

Also, both are protective of the rights of Iranian Jews inside Iran so this is not straightforward anti-semitism either.

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I'm afraid this is a misconception. When you talk to Iranians both inside and outside of Iran they will explain to you that the Iranian Jews serve as tokens for the Islamic regime. It's like a neo-Nazi saying "I cannot be antisemitic, I have a Jewish friend!" In reality, Iranian Jews are not only discriminated against (like every other religious minority in Iran) but are also under heavy scrutiny and surveillance to make sure they do not ever say a positive word about the Jewish state. Expressing support for Israel's right to exist is a criminal offence in Iran with punishments varying from prison sentences to death penalty. At the same time, antisemitism is running rampant not only in parts of Iranian society but also in the Iranian media (and certainly the government). For example, Mohammad Hossein Safavi, who was appointed by Khamenei, said in 2024: "The greatest dangers and harms today come from the Jews… they are the most hostile beings."

Friedrich Rubinstein said:

I'm afraid this is a misconception. When you talk to Iranians both inside and outside of Iran they will explain to you that the Iranian Jews serve as tokens for the Islamic regime. It's like a neo-Nazi saying "I cannot be antisemitic, I have a Jewish friend!" In reality, Iranian Jews are not only discriminated against (like every other religious minority in Iran) but are also under heavy scrutiny and surveillance to make sure they do not ever say a positive word about the Jewish state. Expressing support for Israel's right to exist is a criminal offence in Iran with punishments varying from prison sentences to death penalty. At the same time, antisemitism is running rampant not only in parts of Iranian society but also in the Iranian media (and certainly the government). For example, Mohammad Hossein Safavi, who was appointed by Khamenei, said in 2024: "The greatest dangers and harms today come from the Jews… they are the most hostile beings."

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I guess there are different levels to this. Khamenei may enjoy some intellectual debates with Jewish scholars, and this looks good on camera for him. The bully boys on the street corner will beat up anything that does not fit their idea of Islam, and then there are the ordinary people struggling to get by. Since all Iranians are, in a sense, oppressed and persecuted, why should Jews be any different? In fact, given the government's rhetoric on Israel, the situation is probably worse for them.

Maria Billingsley said:

The Balfour Declaration and the Zionist Movement in the early 20th century.


The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I. It announced British support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people," with the important caveat that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine." ( unfortunatly ingored) This declaration played a crucial role in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the eventual establishment of the State of Israel.

Later this happened: ( this is historical and well documented) .

* After 1948 (Nakba): Between 1948 and 1954, Israel systematically demolished 418 Palestinian villages, which constituted 85% of all Palestinian villages. This occurred after the establishment of the State of Israel and the displacement of a large number of Palestinians.
* After 1967 (Occupation): The process intensified significantly after Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza in the 1967 war.
* Within days of the 1967 conquest, the Mughrabi Quarter in front of the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem was demolished, evicting 650 Palestinians from their homes to make way for a plaza.
* Three entire villages in the Latrun area (Imwas, Yalo, and Bayt Nuba) were destroyed, with their inhabitants expelled, and the area was later turned into "Canada Park."
* Since 1967, Israeli bulldozers have demolished more than 56,500 Palestinian homes.
* Punitive house demolitions, often based on British Mandate-era regulations, also became a practice after 1967, targeting homes of Palestinians suspected or convicted of attacks against Israelis.
Therefore, while the Balfour Declaration laid some groundwork for the political developments in the region, the widespread demolition of Palestinian homes began with the 1948 war and significantly increased after the 1967 occupation.

Then is happened:
The 1979 Iranian Revolution. It was only after the revolution that Iran adopted its strong pro-Palestinian stance and became a significant supporter of Palestinian groups.

Click to expand...

Maybe you could have mentioned the holocaust and repeated attempts to exterminate the Jews by the various surrounding Arab nations and the cooperation of Palestinians with those efforts, not least on October 7th. Maybe you could have mentioned the previous oppressions and restrictions by the Ottomans that left Jews an impoverished and marginalised minority in their own land.

The British played both sides in WW1. The Balfour Declaration accompanied promises made through Lawrence of Arabia to various Arab allies in the overthrow of the Ottomans. At the end of the day, the desire for oil also clouded the Foreign Office's Judgment.

In 1979, an extremist Shia regime seized power, and modern Iranian anti-Zionism dates from that time. The Palestinians are pawns, and the Iranians have no problem in using them as human shields, to die in large numbers, to make Israel look bad.

mindlight said:

Maybe you could have mentioned the holocaust and repeated attempts to exterminate the Jews by the various surrounding Arab nations and the cooperation of Palestinians with those efforts, not least on October 7th. Maybe you could have mentioned the previous oppressions and restrictions by the Ottomans that left Jews an impoverished and marginalised minority in their own land.

The British played both sides in WW1. The Balfour Declaration accompanied promises made through Lawrence of Arabia to various Arab allies in the overthrow of the Ottomans. At the end of the day, the desire for oil also clouded the Foreign Office's Judgment.

In 1979, an extremist Shia regime seized power, and modern Iranian anti-Zionism dates from that time. The Palestinians are pawns, and the Iranians have no problem in using them as human shields, to die in large numbers, to make Israel look bad.

Click to expand...

I am poiting out where this all began. I am 100% in agreement with the Balfour Declaration, a homeland for the Jewish people. Unfortunately, this part of the Declaration was broken and resulted in what we see today.

Balfour Declaration ( in part)

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."