Iran Opposes Peace Talks

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iran is opposed to the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, partially because the USA is involved:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has criticized the relaunched direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, saying the talks are doomed to fail.

Mr. Ahmadinejad said Friday that only Palestinians can decide their fate – not Western powers. (VOA News, 3 Sept 2010. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Iran-Blasts-Israeli-Palestinian-Talks–102148154.html)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemned Israel and the US in a rally marking the annual Quds, or Jerusalem Day. Security was tight and coincided with reports that the house of opposition leader Mahdi Karroubi was under siege by pro-government militia members.

Iranian government TV showed crowds of demonstrators chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”…(VOA News, 3 Sept 2010. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Iranian-Pro-Government-Demonstrators-Turn-Out-for-Jerusalem-Day-102159594.html)

One Israeli official commented about Iran today:

Minister of Minority Affairs Professor Avishay Braverman said Saturday that the recently relaunched peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians posed “a strategic threat to Iran.”

Speaking at the Shabbat Tarbut event in Haifa, the minister said that “the cancellation of a visit by the Iranian foreign minister to Egypt and the historical events that have occurred in Tehran since the start of peace talks are proof that progress in the talks will lead to an alliance between Israel and the moderate Arab states versus the axis of evil of Iran-Hamas-Hezbollah.” (Haaretz, 4 Sept 2010. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/mideast-peace-process-poses-a-strategic-threat-to-iran-1.312138)

Iran does not want the peace deal for many reasons. One is that Sunni Muslim nations (like Egypt and Jordan) seem to be supportive of the process. As the major Shi’ite Muslim power, Iran does not want the Sunnis to thrive.

But it is more than that.

According to speech given several years ago by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the purpose of the Iranian revolution was to prepare the way for the rising up of someone known as the Imam Mahdi. This seems to be the same individual that the Bible indicates is the final King of the South. Iran seems to believe that provoking war is the way to get this leader to rise up.

Hamas, a group that receives funding from Iran, killed four Israelis to protest the peace talks and apparently intends to kill more:

Spokesman calls settlers a “legitimate target” and an army with thousands of weapons at their disposal; says the direct talks are a “media circus.”

A Hamas spokesman told Arab language newspaper Al-Hayat that the group intends to continue its attacks on settlers because they are “legitimate targets” on Saturday. (Jerusalem Post, 4 Sept 2010. http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=187041)

And it is possible that actual war could be provoked in as little as two weeks from now (there or elsewhere in the world). We will see.

Ultimately the Bible tells of a time when both a King of the North (a European power) and a King of the South will rise up, make insincere deals (Daniel 9:27; Psalm 83), and turn on each other (Daniel 11:40-43). And while that is likely a ways off, in the scheme of history, it is relatively soon.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Is he the Imam Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?