What does ISIS have to do with Iran?

Ever since the formation of an international coalition that began its attacks on ISIS in Iraq and Syria, we have been hearing the moaning and howling of various officials and media in Iran.

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps proclaims that the anti-ISIS operations threaten Iran's national security (Fars News Agency, Sep. 23), while the deputy-foreign minister considers them as a prelude to interventionist measures in the (Middle East) region (Tabnak website, Sep. 23).

Why is that? What does it have to do with Iran?

To find out the answer, one should first realize that the Iranian regime is the very source of Islamic fundamentalism since its inception in Tehran in February 1979. Its efforts to spread Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East, Africa, South America, south Asia, etc., have enabled them to cover up their domestic isolation and maintain massive repression within the boundaries of Iran.

These efforts began with enticement of the war with Iraq, continued with anti-American and anti-Western hostage-taking and operations in Tehran, Beirut, Khobar, etc., and led to the formation of extremist groups like the Hezbollah of Lebanon, Hemas of Palestine, and support for other extremist groups around the world.

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As Tehran regime officials brag, Syria and Iraq form the strategic depths of their regime. If they want to survive this international campaign, they will have to give up on this strategic depth and get out of those countries. If they do so, they will not be able to maintain their repressive rein on the Iranian public. If they don't, they will be included among the targets of the international coalition.

Just like the collapse of communist groups after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the international fight against ISIS cannot remain confined to Syria and Iraq and will have to rightly impact and uproot any like-minded entities in the region and the world, including the central banker of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism in Tehran that has taken the nation hostage for more than 35 years.

The people of Iran are ready to help this change, as attested by massive repression in the country, the large number of political prisoners, the extensive demonstrations in 2009, the massive flight of brains from the country, etc.

Behnaz Tarighat