Why Israel AND Iranian Citizens Are Fighting the Ayatollah Regimes For 47 Years

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

Ruhollah Mostafavi Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political revolutionary and Shia cleric who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the leader of the Iranian Revolution, which overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ended the Pahlavi era, and transformed the country into an Islamic republic.

The Ayatollah's fight against Israel began in 1979 with the Islamic Revolution, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which severed all ties with Israel. The ideology framed hostility towards Israel as a religious obligation, with the conflict escalating into a regional proxy battle in the mid-1980s that persisted for decades.

• 1979 Revolution: Ayatollah Khomeini seized power, replaced the Israeli embassy in Tehran with a Palestine Liberation Organization mission, and established a policy of opposition to Israel.
• Proxy Warfare: Iran built a "ring of fire" against Israel by funding and arming proxy militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza throughout the 1980s and onward.
• Ideological Goal: The regime's, specifically Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's, goal was the eventual destruction of Israel, which led to high tensions and conflicts over decades.
  
  Ali Hosseini Khamenei (19 April 1939 – 28 February 2026) was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the second supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in the 2026 Iran war. He previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He held the title Ayatollah, and his tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years and six months, made him the longest-serving head of state in West Asia at the time of his death.
• Escalation to War: The longstanding conflict escalated to direct, open warfare in 2024 and 2025, largely driven by Iran-backed proxy activity in Gaza and Lebanon. 
As of February 28, 2026, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's long fight against Israel ended following his death during a period of open conflict with Israel.
This makes 47 years of unexpected warring against Israel from at least 7 sites due to the aid and abetting of Iran who directed and wanted the fighting.  
Israel wasn't alone.  The Ayatollah's hatred also reached into those Iranians who wanted them overthrown.
Key Impacts on the Iranian People (1979–2026)
• Systematic Repression and Human Rights Violations: The regime has maintained power through the "iron fist" of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), brutally suppressing dissent. This has included mass executions (notably in 1988), torture in prisons, and the violent crackdown on nationwide protests (2009, 2019, 2022).
• Social and Cultural Control: The government enforced strict Islamic codes, including mandatory veiling for women and restricting freedoms of speech, assembly, and press. This created a "dual culture" where many citizens are forced to live double lives, behaving differently at home than in public to avoid government punishment.
• Economic Misery and Inequality: Decades of US sanctions, coupled with internal corruption and mismanagement, have resulted in high inflation and high unemployment, particularly among educated youth. The economy has been heavily tilted toward the IRGC, creating a wealthy elite while the middle class has struggled.
• Marginalization of Women: Women have been systematically treated as second-class citizens, with rights stripped away and intense focus placed on controlling their behavior, sparking major movements like "Woman, Life, Freedom".
• International Isolation: Confrontational foreign policy led to sustained conflict with the West and Israel, causing economic isolation and contributing to a "lost half-century" of development compared to other regional neighbors. 
Why the Rule Sustained for 47 Years
• Ideology of Resistance: The regime utilized the concept of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist) to establish a theocracy where the Supreme Leader holds absolute authority, placing religious law above democratic processes.
• Ruthless Security Apparatus: The IRGC and Basij militias have been instrumental in quickly and violently eliminating opposition figures and suppressing uprising movements.
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• No Exit Strategy: As the regime became more isolated, the political elite felt they had no escape (unlike the Shah's era) and were forced to defend their survival, making them more resilient against internal pressure. 
As of early 2026, many reports indicated that the regime faced its deepest crisis, with protesters directly calling for its overthrow.
They have rebelled, and most are following the Crown Prince who is trying to help them.  The Ayatollah power has killed over 30,000 of them.  Opposition & Independent Estimates: Reports from opposition media, such as Iran International, and various medical professionals have estimated the death toll to be significantly higher, with figures ranging from 30,000 to over 36,500, others even higher yet.  
• Consolidation of Power: The regime successfully eliminated moderate and leftist allies following the 1979 revolution, monopolizing power within the clerical class.
• Yet Trump has been talking of putting in the son of Ali K. as the next leader he can deal with.  Reports are that this person is even meaner than his father was.