When Religious Zionism and Evangelicalism Converge: The Doctrinal Dimension of the War with Iran [2]

Dr Mayada Siwar Al-Dahab
The recurring escalation in the region can no longer be interpreted solely through the lens of regional power balances.
Another level is quietly taking shape, where politics intersects with doctrine, within a perspective that views the conflict as more than merely a geopolitical rivalry.
Are we therefore facing a conventional security confrontation centred on nuclear capabilities and regional influence, or is there a doctrinal dimension reshaping the nature of the conflict?
The repeated escalation between Israel and Iran goes beyond traditional military calculations. Alongside concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, an intellectual dimension is emerging, reflected in a deeper alignment between religious Zionist currents and influential Christian movements in the United States. This alignment frames the war as a “historical mission”, contributing to the portrayal of the conflict as one with historical and doctrinal characteristics.
In religious Zionist thought, Israel is not regarded merely as a modern state but as a project fulfilling a historical promise with a theological dimension. From this perspective, any regional threat—particularly from a state that openly declares its hostility—is perceived as a threat to the project as a whole.
Iran is thus seen as standing at the head of a hostile axis opposing the “new regional order” that Israel seeks to establish.
Accordingly, the conflict with Iran is viewed as more than a security challenge; it is perceived as a confrontation with a power ideologically classified as an existential danger to the “historical project”.
Conversely, large segments of American evangelical Christianity believe that the establishment of Israel and the continuation of its dominance constitute essential elements within religious beliefs related to the end times. This outlook is present within the electoral base that influences American political decision-making, particularly within conservative circles.
The Doctrinal Dimension of Iran in Twelver Shi‘a Thought
Within Iran, belief in the return of the Imam al-Mahdi at the end of time—when justice will prevail after the spread of oppression—forms an important element of religious thought. Confrontation with major powers is sometimes interpreted as part of this historical trajectory.
However, it is important to note that the official religious establishment in Iran does not formally adopt this interpretation. Rather, it maintains that the state’s duty is to protect itself and to resist domination.
This idea is also linked to the theory of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) articulated by Ruhollah Khomeini, in which the Islamic state is seen as a system that preserves society until the time of the Mahdi’s appearance.
When These Three Visions Intersect
When these three perspectives intersect—
Mahdism in Iran,
Religious Zionism in Israel, and
Evangelical Christianity in the United States—
they reinforce the narrative that conflict in the Middle East is driven not only by geopolitics, but also by profound religious visions intertwined with strategic interests.
Historically, this is not the first time political conflict has been framed in religious terms. The Crusades in Europe bore a distinctly religious character, and religion was later invoked to justify colonial expansion and ideological wars.
Thus, the confrontation between the American–Zionist alliance and Iran is not a religious war in the classical sense. Rather, it represents a stage in a longer historical trajectory.
This is what makes the present conflict more than a transient military confrontation or a regional crisis. It reflects an ongoing project aimed at shaping a new reality—one driven as much by ideological positions as by political considerations.
What is at stake may therefore be described as the “reshaping of the Middle East”—not only through new borders, but through a new identity and a new structure of authority.

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