In Amirhad Anvari's incisive analysis for Iran International, the spotlight falls on the Islamic Republic of Iran's paradoxical pivot toward nationalism amid escalating tensions with Israel. The author contends that the regime, long characterized by a deep-seated antagonism toward Iranian nationalism, is now strategically invoking nationalist sentiments to garner public support during a crisis. This tactical shift, Anvari argues, presents a stark contrast to the Islamic Republic's historical prioritization of Islamic universalism over national identity, revealing a pragmatic maneuver to unify a fragmented populace under the specter of an external threat.
Anvari traces the ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic to its founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, who explicitly rejected nationalism as a colonial construct and an obstacle to a unified Islamic nation. Khomeini's vision, articulated in works like "Wilayat al-Faqih," emphasized a supranational Islamic state, evident in his calls to replace Iranian national symbols with Islamic emblems. This anti-nationalist stance is reflected in key symbols of the regime: the current national anthem, "Mehr Khavaran," omits any direct mention of Iran except in the context of the "Islamic Republic of Iran," unlike its predecessor, which explicitly referenced Iran. Similarly, the Constitution mentions Islam and Muslims twice as often as Iran, underscoring the regime's ideological priorities.
The analysis extends to institutional practices, notably the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which deliberately excludes Iran's name and symbols from its statutes and logo, emphasizing a global Islamic mission over national identity. Historical anecdotes, such as the IRGC's resistance to including Iran in its branding and the destruction or defacement of national statues like those of Ario Barzan and Ferdowsi, further illustrate the regime's hostility toward Iranian cultural heritage. Statements from regime figures, like Mehdi Taeb's assertion that defending Syria supersedes protecting Khuzestan, reinforce the prioritization of an Islamic agenda over national interests.
However, under the looming threat of escalation with Israel, Anvari notes a sudden shift. The regime has begun to embrace nationalist rhetoric, exemplified by the unannounced installation of a statue of Arash Kamangir, a symbol of Iranian territorial integrity, in Tehran. This move, alongside media narratives urging unity for the "homeland," marks a pragmatic pivot to rally public support by appealing to national pride—a homeland the regime has long sidelined in its official discourse. Anvari suggests this is a desperate bid to bridge the gap between an alienated populace and a system whose ideological foundations remain divorced from Iranian identity.
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