At the Core: Is There No End to This Hatred?

The deep-seated resentment of the Iranian regime toward its neighbors is unjustified and illogical, and it may stem from historical reasons: How did the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula defeat Khosrow and his empire despite its strength and grandeur? How did they tame it and rescue it from the darkness of disbelief into the light of Islam? Even more remarkably, how did they linguistically and culturally penetrate the Iranian consciousness willingly rather than by force?

Iran was subjected to invasions and colonization, yet it never harbored resentment toward those who attacked or colonized it; instead, it maintained normal relations with them.

Alexander the Great entered Persia as a conqueror and destroyer, yet Greek culture remained among the ruling class. It did not touch the religious creed or the social structure of the Persians. Similarly, British and Russian colonialism did not alter or affect the culture and identity of Iranian society; they emerged, and Iran remained as it was.

In contrast, the Arab-Islamic conquest of Persia had a unique nature that made the Arab and Islamic influence much deeper and more enduring in the Iranian consciousness. The Arab conquest brought a comprehensive Islamic creed that reached even the private details of individual life, allowing it to penetrate the human conscience of Iranians.

The languages of the Greek invaders and British colonizers were merely tools for communication with Iranians. However, the language of the Arab conquerors became linked through its letters and vocabulary to the Holy Quran and to acts of worship. Consequently, the Persians were not only compelled to accept the Arabic script for communication, but it also became sacred to them after most of them embraced Islam. Thereafter, Arab-Islamic heritage became an inseparable part of their spiritual and cultural heritage.

The Arab conquest was not intended to erase the Persians or enslave them. This is why the Persians did not view the Arabic language as something imposed upon them, but rather as a tool for their intellectual and religious advancement. They adopted it, enriched it, and excelled in it until it became an essential component of their linguistic structure, literature, and poetry. Thus, the Arabs succeeded where Alexander and Britain failed, because they offered a unifying and life-guiding religion and culture that intertwined with the spirit of the region’s inhabitants, whereas Alexander brought a destructive conquest and Britain offered transient colonial interests.

It is this depth of influence that led some, including the current regime, to view this impactful Arab legacy with inherited resentment rather than gratitude. All ancient civilizations rose and then fell; some perished due to natural disasters, corruption, wars, and defeats, including both the Arab and Persian civilizations.

All civilizations left their marks on others, and all accepted influences from others. The marks of Arab civilization and its language reached the farthest corners of the world, but its impact on Iran was the most prominent.

The entire world, both victors and the vanquished, has coexisted with its current reality without harboring historical grudges, as this is the way of life. All civilizations that rose and then fell managed to forget the wounds and scars of the past, except for the Iranian regime, whose resentment is directed at us.

The Arabs occupied the land of Andalusia for 800 years. After its liberation, it preserved the Arab heritage, even taking pride in it and making it an integral part of its history. We sincerely hope that this regime will regain its sanity and live without hatred, like the other nations of this earth.