Let’s talk today about the renowned historical civilization of Iran. Imagine millions of years ago, when the Arabian plate and the Eurasian plate collided with a thunderous crash, forming the Iranian Plateau. From that day on, it was determined that Iran would play a significant role in the future, with its strategic location at the crossroads of the Eurasian continent. To the north, it borders Central Asia, to the west, the Middle East, to the southeast, South Asia, to the northeast, it connects with Central and East Asia, and to the south, it leads directly to the Indian Ocean via the Persian Gulf. This highly accessible position has made Iran a must-contest land for military strategists since ancient times. Mr. Liang Qichao once proposed the concept of the ‘Four Great Ancient Civilizations’ – India, Egypt, Babylon, and our China. In fact, when compared with these four, Iran is not only on par but in some aspects, surpasses them. Particularly, India, Egypt, and Babylon were once under Iranian rule since ancient times.
Looking back at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Iran and Israel shared a bond of life and death for over a thousand years, and even the Pahlavi dynasty had a tacit understanding with Israel. However, since the change of power in Iran, the relationship between the two nations has turned into a fierce rivalry. On one hand, Iran has designated Jerusalem as a holy city for Muslims, repeatedly calling for the Muslim world to reclaim the land. Meanwhile, religious conflicts have also made Iran deeply concerned. Finally, as a staunch ally of the United States in the Middle East, Israel is bound to be a thorn in Iran’s side. Consequently, wiping Israel off the map has become a fundamental policy of Iran, including support and funding for Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi rebels, and the Syrian government. Israel, facing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, is also cautious and uneasy. So you might ask, how can the world ever be at peace? Alas, I will put my pen down here and share a few lines of poetry written by Mr. Huang Zhen for the character Dongfang Bubai: ‘Empires and霸业 are but a jest in laughter, life is but a drunken dream. Worldly affairs are like tides, people flow like water, sighing at how few return from the rivers and lakes.’
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