Inside Iran’s ruling ideology: How a ‘holy mission’ and messianic doctrine fuel regime extremism

For Mehdi Ghadimi, nan ideology down Iran’s ruling system is not theoretical. It was thing he was taught from childhood.

"You were told you are a portion a mini group chosen by God… to revive God’s belief and conflict to take sides it," nan Iranian journalist told Fox News Digital, describing nan connection repeated successful schools, mosques and authorities media.

That early indoctrination, he said, framed nan world successful stark terms: a divine struggle betwixt bully and evil, pinch Iran’s activity positioned astatine nan halfway of a belief mission.

Iran’s ruling strategy is often described successful governmental terms, but critics and erstwhile insiders opportunity its halfway is acold much extremist — a belief building rooted successful belief absolutism, messianic anticipation and a worldview that leaves small room for compromise.

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A banner featuring Iran’s caller ultimate leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and elder commanders of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is displayed successful Tehran, March 14, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu)

As a caller procreation of commanders rises wrong nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pursuing caller subject blows nether Operation Epic Fury, analysts pass that this ideology whitethorn go moreover much entrenched.

Figures specified arsenic Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Ahmad Vahidi are often cited arsenic portion of a cohort shaped by years of conflict successful Iraq and crossed nan region — 1 that sees religion, information and endurance arsenic inseparable.

A belief system, not conscionable a government

At nan halfway of that worldview is nan belief successful nan Mahdi — a messianic fig successful Shiite Islam whose return is expected to usher successful a last era of justness aft chaos.

Twelver Shiism is nan ascendant belief for Shias, nan Mahdi, identified arsenic nan 12th Imam, is live but hidden and will 1 time return. Iran’s governmental strategy positions nan ultimate leader arsenic his caretaker. 

Critics opportunity that model gives governmental authority a belief magnitude that tin make it difficult to challenge.

Primary schoolhouse girls successful accepted headscarves beryllium successful a classroom, Tehran, Iran, Oct. 1, 1997. (Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)

"For nan mullahs successful Iran, nan Mahdi thought is little astir individual religion and much astir power," said Lisa Daftari, overseas argumentation expert and editor-in-chief astatine The Foreign Desk. "They usage it to propose that nan ultimate leader’s views are not conscionable governmental opinions, but transportation a benignant of divine weight."

"The strategy is group up truthful that disagreeing pinch nan leader tin beryllium portrayed arsenic questioning nan Hidden Imam himself," she said.

"That turns mean argumentation debates into thing almost untouchable… you’re nary longer arguing pinch a politician, you’re seen arsenic pushing backmost against a ineffable figure."

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Commanders and members of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps meet pinch Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei successful Tehran connected Aug. 17, 2023. (Office of nan Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Reuters)

No existent moderates

Ghadimi argues that this building leaves small room for genuine governmental diversity.

"Groups branded arsenic ‘moderate,’ ‘reformist,’ aliases ‘pro-Western’ are created truthful that nan West tin discuss pinch them," he said.

"No 1 wrong nan building of nan Islamic Republic thinks astir thing different than defeating nan Western world and establishing Islamic power globally."

From belief to action

For Iran master Daftari, nan Mahdi doctrine besides provides a elastic justification for policy.

"A batch of insiders cognize perfectly good that this connection is being utilized strategically," she said. "The Mahdi communicative gives nan activity a measurement to declare civilized and belief screen for decisions that are often astir preserving nan authorities aliases expanding its reach."

"When they talk astir ‘preparing nan ground’ for nan Mahdi, that building tin beryllium stretched to screen almost thing — crushing protests, backing militias overseas aliases asking group to judge much economical pain."

"This belief framing makes discuss overmuch harder," she added. "If you person your guidelines that you are carrying retired a beatified mission… backing down tin beryllium painted arsenic a betrayal of God’s plan."

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A advertisement depicting Iran's ultimate leaders since 1979 is displayed supra a road successful Tehran connected March 10, 2026. (AFP/Via Getty Images)

A worldview shaped early

Ghadimi said that connection is reinforced from childhood, shaping really generations understand their domiciled successful society.

In schools, media and mosques, he said, ideology was embedded into mundane life, leaving small abstraction for replacement narratives.

That framing, analysts say, helps explicate really nan strategy sustains itself moreover nether pressure.

It besides contributes to a worldview successful which conflict is not temporary, but portion of a larger, ongoing struggle.

"The Islamic government, based connected its ain interpretation of nan Quran, considers itself obligated to enforce Islamic rule crossed nan full world," Ghadimi told Fox News Digital, adding that nan authorities "sees itself arsenic nan leader of this belief globally."

"They harbor hatred toward Iranians and Jews, whom they respect arsenic enemies of Islam since its very beginning, and they see sidesplitting them—such arsenic connected Oct. 7 and successful nan caller killings successful Iran — to beryllium divinely rewarded acts, overmuch for illustration nan beliefs erstwhile held by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi," he said.

"No 1 wrong nan building of nan Islamic Republic thinks astir thing different than defeating nan Western world and establishing Islamic power globally," Ghadimi said.

In that framework, critics say, Iran is not simply pursuing nationalist interests but acting wrong what it sees arsenic a broader belief mandate.

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In this image released by an charismatic website of nan agency of nan Iranian ultimate leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stands arsenic aerial unit commanders salute during their gathering successful Tehran, Feb. 7, 2017. (Office of nan Iranian Supreme Leader/AP)

Violence and belief

Some critics reason that wrong this framework, unit tin return connected belief meaning.

"They see sidesplitting them… to beryllium divinely rewarded acts," Ghadimi said.

Still, analysts opportunity nan operation of messianic belief and absolutist ideology creates a strategy successful which confrontation is not only expected, but justified.

A rhythm pinch nary easy exit

An Iranian charismatic rejected those characterizations and warned that economical illness and demolition caused by warfare could thrust semipermanent resentment.

"If a state is turned into ruins, poorness spreads. Out of specified poorness comes hatred, resentment and a desire for revenge, and this rhythm of hostility tin proceed for years. It is not correct to deliberation that everything will simply extremity nan time aft a ceasefire. Even if location were nary dispute authorities near successful place, group wrong nine who person mislaid everything whitethorn still beryllium driven to activity retribution."

For Ghadimi, nan rumor is not conscionable really Iran behaves, but really it understands itself.

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People stitchery successful Revolution Square to mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed Feb. 28 successful a associated Israel-U.S. operation, successful Tehran, Iran, connected March 1, 2026. (Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)

If nan strategy is rooted successful a belief that blends religion, powerfulness and mission, critics say, past policies for illustration repression astatine location and confrontation overseas whitethorn not beryllium impermanent strategies but structural features.

And if moderation wrong that strategy is limited, arsenic immoderate argue, past nan situation for policymakers is not simply negotiation, but knowing nan ideology that drives it.