Summary
In recent decades, the rise and decline of Islamist movements have been a significant issue for Western countries. The founding moment was during the Six-Day War in 1967, when Islamic movements contested Arab nationalist regimes defeated by Israel. Understood as a return to religious origins, Salafism spread across North Africa and the Middle East. Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1978 sought leadership in the global Islamist struggle, but this goal was achieved through alliances with Shiite groups like Hezbollah and the Alawites of Syria. In Lebanon, Hezbollah fully embraced Iranian influence, whereas Syria’s Assad regime maintained a secular approach to their relationship with Iranian Shiism. Iraq, however, saw its Shiite militias follow Iranian guidance under the influence of Grand Ayatollah Sistani, who staunchly rejected the “velayat e faqih,” a key feature of Iranian theocracy. These events highlight how religious movements can shift political allegiances and influence geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Key figures include Pope John Paul II, who addressed these issues during his papacy, and scholars like Olivier Roy, whose research influenced Catholic Church policies regarding Islam and its spread in the region.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Salafism, Iran
