Persia, Iran, and the Great Arab Mix-up: A Sarcastic Stroll through History to Today’s Messy War

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 23 Jun 2025

Diran Noubar – TRANSCEND Media Service

18 Jun 2025 – Oh, dear reader, let’s clear up a colossal misconception that floats around like a bad rumor at a high school reunion: Iranians are not Arabs. Yes, I know, it’s shocking to some that not everyone in the Middle East is interchangeable. Iranians are Persians, predominantly, with a rich history that stretches back to when most of the world was still figuring out how to make fire. So, buckle up for a snarky ride through Persia’s past, its transformation into modern Iran, and how it ended up in a fiery spat with Israel, all while the world argues over who’s the real villain—spoiler: it’s probably Benjamin Netanyahu, the warmonger with a knack for dodging prison.

Persians, Not Arabs: A History Lesson for the Geographically Challenged

Let’s start with the basics, because apparently, geography class is optional for many. Persia, the ancient name for what we now call Iran, is home to Persians, an Indo-European people with a language (Farsi) and culture as distinct from Arabic as baguettes are from pita bread. The Persian Empire, under luminaries like Cyrus the Great and Darius I, was the original superpower, stretching from Egypt to India by the 6th century BCE. They built roads, invented bureaucracy, and let’s not forget the Book of Esther, where a Persian king (probably Xerxes I) played matchmaker to a Jewish queen. Persia was the cosmopolitan hub of the ancient world, while others were still arguing over who got to hold the shiny rock.

Fast forward through invasions, dynasties, and the occasional Mongol BBQ, and Persia remained a cultural juggernaut. By the 20th century, under the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran (officially renamed in 1935 to reflect its ancient roots) was cozying up to the West, especially Israel and the U.S., because nothing says “strategic alliance” like oil pipelines and a shared dislike of Arab nationalism. The Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was Israel’s BFF, supplying oil and hosting secret missile projects like Project Flower (1977–79). But then, in 1979, the Islamic Revolution crashed the party, and everything went sideways.

1979: When Persia Became Iran, and the World Got Confused

The 1979 Islamic Revolution, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, was less a gentle rebrand and more a geopolitical earthquake. The Shah was out, a theocratic regime was in, and Iran went from Western darling to the West’s favorite boogeyman. Khomeini called Israel “the Little Satan” (America got “Great Satan,” naturally), and Iran became the loudest cheerleader for Palestine, cutting all ties with Israel. Why? Because nothing screams “Islamic unity” like rallying against a common enemy to bridge the Persian-Arab, Shia-Sunni divide.

Since 1979, Iran’s development has been a rollercoaster with more downs than ups. The Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) bled the country dry, killing hundreds of thousands and wrecking the economy. Sanctions, especially after the U.S. ditched the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, turned Iran into an economic punching bag. Oil exports, once a cash cow, dropped to a trickle, with China as the main buyer. Yet, Iran’s regime doubled down on its “Resistance Axis,” arming Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen, because apparently, proxy wars are cheaper than fixing roads.

Internally, Iran’s been a mixed bag. The regime’s grip is ironclad, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acting as both praetorian guard and ideological enforcer. Protests, like the 2009 Green Movement or the 2022–23 Women, Life, Freedom movement, get crushed faster than you can say “human rights.” Meanwhile, 80% of Iranians reportedly despise the regime, but don’t hold your breath for a revolution—most are too busy dodging missiles or queuing for petrol.

The Iran-Israel Conflict: A Tale of Two Narratives

Now, let’s dive into the Iran-Israel conflict, where the “occidental official version” clashes with what much of the Global South (and others) think. According to the West’s polished narrative, Iran is the ultimate villain, a nuclear-obsessed theocracy hell-bent on wiping Israel off the map. The story goes that Iran’s been racing toward a nuclear bomb since the 1980s, funding terrorists like Hezbollah and Hamas to destabilize the Middle East. Israel, the plucky underdog, has no choice but to launch “preemptive” strikes, like the June 2025 Operation Rising Lion, which obliterated Iran’s nuclear sites, missile factories, and a chunk of its military brass. The U.S. nods approvingly, saying, “Well, Iran brought this on itself,” while conveniently ignoring that Israel’s been assassinating Iranian scientists and bombing its allies for years. Oh, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) tut-tuts about Israel’s attacks on nuclear facilities, but who listens to them anyway?

Now, flip the script. Many countries—think China, Russia, much of the Arab world, and the Global South—see a different story. Here, Israel is the aggressor, a U.S.-backed bully that’s been poking Iran since the 1979 revolution. Iran’s nuclear program? A defensive move against a hostile West that’s sanctioned it into oblivion and a nuclear-armed Israel that’s never admitted its own arsenal. Iran’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas? Not terrorism, but solidarity with oppressed Palestinians, especially after Israel’s relentless Gaza campaign, which killed tens of thousands since 2023. The 2025 Israeli strikes, which killed 224 Iranians (90% civilians, per Iran’s health ministry), aren’t “precision” but war crimes, especially since they hit civilian infrastructure like Tehran’s state broadcaster. And let’s not forget Netanyahu’s sanctimonious call for Iranians to “stand up” for freedom—because nothing says liberation like bombing their homes.

Both sides have their biases. The West ignores Israel’s provocations and its own role in strangling Iran’s economy. The alternative narrative downplays Iran’s reckless missile barrages and its oppressive regime. But one thing’s clear: this isn’t a simple good-vs-evil tale. It’s a power struggle where both sides play dirty, and civilians pay the price.

Netanyahu: The Warmonger Who Needs War to Survive

Enter Benjamin Netanyahu, the maestro of mayhem. Bibi, as he’s affectionately called, has made Iran his personal bogeyman for decades, warning of its “existential threat” to keep Israelis rallied around him. His 2025 strikes, which killed Iran’s top generals and scientists, were less about stopping a nuclear bomb (no evidence Iran was close, per U.S. intelligence) and more about flexing muscle to distract from his domestic troubles. Netanyahu faces an International Criminal Court warrant for Gaza war crimes and corruption charges at home that could land him in prison. War is his get-out-of-jail-free card: it unites Israelis, delays trials, and keeps his coalition of far-right zealots happy.

Netanyahu’s playbook is simple: weaken Iran’s proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis), then hit Iran directly, claiming it’s all for Israel’s survival. Never mind the 80 Iranians and 10 Israelis killed in the initial 2025 strikes, or the 30,000-plus Palestinians dead in Gaza since 2023. Bibi’s betting that a regional war will keep him in power, even if it means dragging the U.S. into the mess—Trump’s already cheering him on, redirecting resources from Ukraine. The irony? Netanyahu’s “regime change” talk in Iran mirrors his own refusal to change Gaza’s status quo, arming criminal factions to keep Hamas down while reducing the Strip to rubble.

Conclusion: Bibi’s Bloody Gamble

Whether you buy the West’s “Iran is evil” line or the Global South’s “Israel is the aggressor” narrative, one truth shines through: Netanyahu thrives on chaos. His wars—against Hamas, Hezbollah, and now Iran—are less about security and more about survival. He’s a warmonger who doesn’t care that tens of thousands have died or that his actions risk a regional conflagration. Prison, whether from the ICC or an Israeli court, looms large, and Bibi’s willing to burn the Middle East to avoid it. Persia, Iran, whatever you call it, deserves better than being a pawn in his game. So do the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the rest of us stuck watching this tragic circus.

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Diran Noubar, an Italian-Armenian born in France, has lived in 11 countries until he moved to Armenia. He is a world-renowned, critically-acclaimed documentary filmmaker and war reporter. Starting in the early 2000’s in New York City, Diran produced and directed over 20 full-length documentary films. He is also a singer/songwriter and guitarist in his own band and runs a nonprofit charity organization, wearemenia.org.

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 23 Jun 2025.

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