The current turbulence across the Middle East has once again raised a fundamental question: how has Shiite-majority Iran managed to exert such sustained influence across predominantly Sunni Muslim nations? From the Gulf monarchies to segments of political movements in the wider Muslim world, Tehran’s reach has often exceeded what sectarian arithmetic alone would predict.

To understand this phenomenon, one must revisit 1979 – the year of the Islamic Revolution in Iran led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. That year did not simply mark a change of regime in Tehran; it marked the birth of a revolutionary doctrine with transnational ambitions. Khomeini’s project was never confined within Iran’s borders. It was ideological, strategic, and designed to resonate across sectarian divides.

Within weeks of assuming power, Khomeini announced the creation of “International Quds Day”, observed annually on the last Friday of Ramadan. The declaration, made on August 7, 1979, framed the Palestinian issue as a unifying cause for Muslims worldwide. In his proclamation, Khomeini called upon Muslims everywhere to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians and to oppose Israel’s control of Jerusalem.

The introduction of Quds Day was a masterstroke in political theology. By elevating the Palestinian cause to a global religious obligation, Tehran effectively positioned itself as the custodian of a pan-Islamic struggle. The symbolism was powerful: Jerusalem (Al Quds) occupies profound spiritual significance for Muslims........

© Blitz