If most Iranians hate Islam, would they more likely support Israel?

Question

I have heard most Iranians are anti-Arab and anti-Islam. If so could it be they secretly share sympathy with Israel and its just because of the repressive government they have to suppress this?

Answer 1

I think so.

Before 1979, Israel and Iran were best friends and allies. Why? Because the Shah had enough insight to know that Iran and Israel are natural allies. What does that mean exactly? It means Iran and Israel are two countries that have always been surrounded by a BIG hostile SUNNI ARAB world that cannot tolerate the thought of a non-Arab, Persian, SHIA state in its midst anymore than it tolerate the thought of a non-Arab, Jewish state in its midst. Israel and Iran both represent two religious minorities that have been persecuted throughout the Middle East (Jews and Shia Muslims respectively). To the average Arab, Iranians, Persians in particular, are "rafidhi" (the word literally means "one who rejects" [the Sunna tradition]) but soon came to be used in the sense of "heretic", a common Sunni Arab reference to Shia.



Israel was not the country that made Iran hemmorrhage for eight years, nor was it the country that rained down Scuds on Iranian cities, nor has she ever claimed Iranian territory, nor has she been the historic archenemy of Persians and Iranians. Diplomatic relations with Israel best serve Iranian interests, both political and geostrategic, and if the Republic of Azerbaijan (a predominantly Shia country) and Israel can be best friends, so can Iran and Israel, but this can only be accomplished once the clerical Mafia in Tehran is overthrown and 75 million Iranians are liberated from its yoke.



http://www.nairaland.com/1071071/iran-hate-israel-no-reason

Answer 2

Most Iranians are Muslims,they are oppressed by their current Muslim fundamentalist government

Answer 3

I don't think most hate the religion, as most are Muslim; however, I think they hate what a certain interpretation of it has done to their nation. Which is, to say, awful things. Iranians, naturally, wouldn't adhere to the laws that the ayatollah and his ilk uphold if left on their own, which is shown in many communities throughout the world.



I don't think that many Iranians truly get what Israel is and are unfortunately victim the the ugly hate campaign that is put on by official sources. For example, don't go onto Press TV, an Iranian English-language channel, and have a drinking game with the lies they make about Israel because you will die (and that's just concerning Israel). I know many Iranian Jews, and they will comment on how woefully ignorant their own brethren over there are about the nation. Considering that Iran and Israel used to be more friendly, and Israelis felt safe over there during that time, I'd think that more informed Iranians would support Israel, or at least support the idea of having relations and treating the nation in a more rational manner.



Israelis certainly sympathize, at least more than you'd think. I've listed many examples before: The "Israel <3 Iran" Campaign, the Iranian blogger who went to Israel and LOVED it, and the Farsi-language radio station in Israel are the biggest examples, but the fact that most Iranians fled to Israel at the fall of 1979 and that more Israelis than not know someone "Iranian" should tell you that Israel would be willing to work with the Iranian people. Their current government, no, but that is to the surprise of no one since that government might be more unwilling to work with Israel than Israel is with it.



So, yeah, I think that there could be a good future between Israel and Iran, provided that one truly learns that the demonization that it has been subjected to is blatantly a lie. I don't think the Muslim majority is under any threat, at least not soon, but if it were to be relaxed significantly, including internet access, I feel like that can help too, with finding out about Israel from legitimate sources and seeing it isn't the demon they've been raised to believe it is.

Answer 4

Regardless of the moderate side of Islam , they have proven that they are no match for the radical hateful side. The shah was corrupt and that situation opened the door for hopes of a better life for Iranians through an idealistic reformed Islamic state,,,,

Look what it got them.

There is no such thing.

The only Islamic states with stability are those ruled by a royal family with an iron fist,

Those ruled by clerics are obsessed with hate

Answer 5

Islam did come down too heavy on people after the revolution - it swung too far the other way after the decadence the Shah



even so they are culturally Muslim



why would they support Israel - when they know what Israel wishes on Iran

Answer 6

Most iranians don't hate islam as you have stated. Some do; many don't. I know Saudi's who hate islam, and I know jews who hate israel. i doubt they represent their entire country tho.



This is just a concept which is widespread in most arab countries especially the gulf region where they spread rumors to make their ppl hate iran and put a limit to its expansion and popularity in the area thus mutually beneficial for gulf monarchies and USA.

I just talked to an emirati a few days ago about Iran; And WOW, you wouldn't believe such lies could be fed to any creature with a brain. Same with an Egyptian a few years ago.

Get your facts staight and don't yap shhht just cuz others do so.

Answer 7

In Germany there many Iranians people. I have not heard any Iranians tell things bad about Israel but there may be.

Answer 8

you heard wrong

Answer 9

Since current Islam is the most fascist thing we've seen since Hitler, I don't see how anti-Islam is fascist - if anything it is anti-fascist.



Ban away, my friend, everyone who count supports you.



Regarding the question - indeed many Iranians support Israel - not just as a counter reaction to the Islamo fascist regime, but as there is a general affinity and closeness between Iranians and Jews historically, culturally and ethnically. Note that I did not say most of them support Israel. About 100% of the lower educated hate Israel, and out of the ones in the big cities and outside Iran - I can't estimate but I would be surprised if more than 50% support Israel. Still there are many. It is hard for an Iranian to completely disbelieve the constant bombardment of anti Israeli propaganda coming from the IRI, and the fact is that Israel is an actual enemy of Iran. Not all Iranians are able or interested in understanding that Israel would love a friendly relationship with Iran.



I think there was a golden chance in the last riots to support them militarily, and then we would be on a totally different path, but God made Obama the way that he did, and now here we are in the same sh*t.



Iranians in general consider themselves superior to Arabs, and on the other hand fear them and their numbers. The IRI manipulates and exploits the Arabs and dreams of a hegemonic situation where Iranians would be the masters of the entire Middle East like the Nazis dreamt of ruling over the simple Slavs.



@k



My purpose here is not to engage with hostiles. I've made it known many times I'm not interested in this type of interaction. This is the Israel section. It is intended for people who don't know things about Israel to ask of people who do know. You are one of a group of interlopers and bullies. Anyone who hates Israel, but chooses to spend much of his time discussing it, has a personality problem - IMO. A well balanced person would spend his time doing something he loves, not something he hates. If you're looking to have political arguments about whether Israel should exist or not - this is not the appropriate venue for it. Please do not refer to any of my posts in the future. As was stated many times, you will not find many Jews harassing Arabs on any Arab forums. Draw your own conclusions.

Answer 10

Maybe they would, go ask them!

Answer 11

Iran is predominantly a Muslim majority country with a population of 80 million people. The majority of its population belongs to the Shia sect of Islam but also includes a Sunni minority (5-10%), and a large part of the majority are practicing Muslims who love their religion and religious traditions.



Iran is currently under the rule of an oppressive “religious” dictatorship (similar to your fascist username,“Ban Islam”), and as history has shown, this most usually has the opposite effect. This results in many Iranians to be quite secular in their private lives, and the expats who fled this dictatorship can often incorrectly blame religion for their valid discontentment and try to detach themselves with any trace of its memory. With that said, there are plenty of Iranians outside Iran that are quite fond of Islam and Islamic Persian history and arts.



As for the anti-Arab point, this would require a question all on its own, as it would need a proper detailed answer. Suffice it to say Arabs tend to be the scapegoats in the Muslim world among almost all non-Arabs.



As for Israel point, hatred of Zionism has always existed in Iran and in 100% of the region. Just because we had a Western puppet dictator that was cozy with Israel does not mean his views matched the views of the majority. In fact, as we know, he was quite hated. Even when secularism was at its zenith, anti-Zionism views persisted, which can be seen in the World Cup game between Israel and Iran on an year which I forgot where when Israel lost, Iranian crowds erupted in anti-Zionist chants. This was before the Islamic Revolution.



Fact of the matter is Israel will always be a pariah state in the region because its heavily European-imported population/culture is artificial to the region, and the state was formed out of the stealing of land and ethnic cleansing of another people.

---

[[EDIT]]:



Yes, I do despise the Iranian theocracy - the ascendancy of the legal scholars, mullahs, is a very recent post-modern idea. Anyone who has studied Iranian history from 800 AD - 1979 will agree Islam had been an immense positive for the nation. Zoroastrianism (with its priestly caste) and the Sassanid Empire had become heavily corrupted and despotic, and both were in decline.



Islam is not a foreign religion. Iranians have been significant contributors to Sunni Islam with the largest school of law being founded by Imam Abu Hanifa (Persian) and the most notable collector of hadith being Imam Bukhari (Persian), etc. Not to mention Salman al-Farsi, a disciple of the Prophet Muhammad, who the Prophet said is "of my family" was Persian. Historically, the Abbasid Caliphate adopted their administration system from the [Persian] Sassanid Dynasty, etc.



Islam has acted as a huge uniting factor for a very diverse region, which was previously divided over far more tribal identities, so - yes - I do believe it has been a positive force for the region in addition to triggering various 'golden ages' of culture, arts, mathematics, and other fields.



*Keep in mind this is all from the lens of pre-1979. I think after 1979, the state of the quality and usage of religion in Iran has only gone downhill.



And yes it is totalitarian to ban people from praying, fasting, giving a percentage of their wealth to the needy annually, believing in One God, etc.