JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The most obvious aspect of the current crisis is the desperate attempt to frame the geopolitical chess match as a religious war. “The Iran conflict is not a holy war, it is a game of power. Don’t be fooled by religious rhetoric—it’s about control, survival and regional domination.”
If this were a holy war, Iran’s neighboring countries would not open their airfields to facilitate bombing Iran. If it concerns sectarian purity, the presence of large Shia populations in these countries will be a deterrent. No.
When American bases in the UAE were used to attack Iran, Tehran saw more than just Washington or Tel Aviv as targets. They see a coalition of supporters. That is strategic clarity. That is why their retaliation targeted bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. They are not fighting a sect; they dismantle logistics networks.
Iran’s enemies are not just the US and Israel, but anyone who threatens their interests. Their missile attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE were a calculated move to send a clear message: we are not to be bullied.
The ‘Sunni vs Shia’ narrative is a distraction. The actual text here is the National Interest manual. These neighboring countries are playing the same game, just like Iran. That’s not theology. They help the US not out of altruism, but out of personal interest. They allied with America because America suited them, not because they were crusaders.
READ ALSO: 4 police officers fired over murder of trader in Lagos
It’s about power. It’s about regional hegemony, survival, and the main chess piece: nuclear capability. Take away the rhetoric and what remains: a brutal, lucid struggle. Iran wants the main means of deterrence, namely nuclear, to ensure its survival. The US and Israel want to deny it to maintain their dominance. It’s that simple. If this were truly about Sunni versus Shia, Iran’s neighboring countries would not approve of an attack on them. (And before you mention demographics, remember that Shiites live in those countries too.)
Thinking critically about the heart of this conflict means understanding a simple truth: power does not pray, it reckons. In global strategy, there is only one “bible” that guides state actions: the National Interest Code.
When the missiles fly, they don’t ask for denominations. They don’t discriminate—they seek to destroy opponents and cripple infrastructure. Don’t let them cover the conflict in a familiar cloak. Look past the veil. When power is at stake, religion is just a tool. This is the costume used by geopolitics to recruit the masses. It masquerades as faith to mobilize the uninformed. If you look beyond the surface, you will see a complex web of power dynamics.
Viewing conflicts over nuclear enrichment and regional supremacy through a narrow theological lens means we fall into a trap designed to be unthinking—a trap that makes us cheer for our own geopolitical conquests. It’s time to take the blinders off and finally see the board for what it is. Let’s be wise.
By: Allen Durueke
