Iran and Islamic state in conflict or war?
The conflict between the Islamic State (IS) and Iran reflects a complex interplay of religious, geopolitical, and ideological factors, highlighting the broader regional dynamics in the Middle East. While the Islamic State represents a radical Sunni extremist group, Iran is a predominantly Shiite nation, and the rivalry between these two entities has contributed significantly to the turbulence in the region. The roots of the conflict can be traced to the aftermath of the 2003 Iraq War when the power vacuum in Iraq allowed extremist groups, including what would later become the Islamic State, to gain a foothold. The Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions in the region were exacerbated, with the group exploiting existing grievances and capitalizing on discontent among Sunni communities. As the Islamic State emerged and gained territorial control in Iraq and Syria in 2014, it declared a caliphate, seeking to establish its version of an Islamic state across the region. Iran, being a Sh...