JERUSALEM POST
by Yariv Levin
October 22, 2014
The ambition of both Iran and the IS is wide territorial expansion. The Western world is uniting in its justified fight against the oppressive rule of Islamic State in large parts of Syria and Iraq. The pictures of Western journalists being beheaded by these radical Islamic extremists have been seared into our consciousness; IS must be defeated.
Some have considered the idea of creating an alliance with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fight against the IS. There has even been talk of loosening the Western world’s opposition to Iran’s nuclear weapons program in order to encourage cooperation. Such of a move would be a mistake of historical proportions. Iran is no different than Islamic State. This is true with respect to Iran’s ultimate ambitions as well as with respect to Iran’s attitude to human rights.
Both groups apply the strictest and most literal interpretation of the Koran to the territories they govern. While the pictures coming out of Syria and Iraq today are truly horrifying, one need not look very far into the past to see similar images from Iran. In August, Amnesty International reported a new wave of attacks against independent journalists in the Islamic Republic. In Iran, people are often stoned to death for being homosexual or for the “crime” of being raped. Anyone who opposes the ruling party is threatened with death, in a way reminiscent to the mass executions committed by IS in areas it has conquered……
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