The Middle East is a complex region, with rich layers of history and traces of biblical footprints that often cling to their ancient past, while clashing with modern-day geopolitical power struggles rooted in political, religious and extremist ideologies.
And in the case of Iran, two terrorist attacks that recently rocked the Iranian capital of Tehran just illustrated the truth behind the well-worn adage, “You reap what you sow.” Karma, meet the extremist mullahs of Tehran.
First and foremost, the Islamic State-claimed terrorist attacks are truly a human calamity, and there is never any justification for terrorism. As fellow global citizens linked through our humanity, we sympathize with the relatives and friends of the 17 people killed at Iran’s parliament in Tehran, and certainly with the victims.
It is also important to recognize the significant role that symbolism plays in both Iranian and Middle Eastern cultures. Which is why the second terrorist attack targeting Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s tomb complex, the leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, was a veritable attack at Iran’s core.
These twin terror attacks, striking the mullahs’ parliament and the shrine to Khomeini, represent a very painful bitter pill for the Iranian regime to swallow.
When you bear the dubious distinction as the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, to be hit with the same kind of terrorist ideology you promulgate must be a pretty alarming wake-up call.
The Iranian regime remains committed to the use of violent terrorism, brutal human rights violations, oppressive measures against its own people and dark methods of subterfuge, all in the name of emboldening its nuclear ambitions.
Tehran’s sponsorship of terrorism has far-reaching pervasive tentacles. Hezbollah in particular, the Iranian regime’s main terrorist arm, poses a serious threat and is responsible for killing more Americans than any other terrorist group after al-Qaida. In addition to Hezbollah, Iran also supplies conventional weapons to its terrorist proxies, including Hamas, Assad’s murderous Syrian regime and various groups in Iraq and Lebanon.
ISIS, the Taliban and al-Qaida have also received support from the extremist Iranian mullahs, which is ironic because each of these terrorist groups’ ideologies are determined to eradicate Shi’ism, which just happens to be the religious backbone of the Iranian regime.
And the reason for this twisted terrorist support is sickening: Tehran sees benefit in forming tactical alliances with these terrorist entities because they too loath America and are motivated by a virulent anti-West agenda.
Meanwhile, back at home, the Iranian mullahs exert their leadership through despotism and the denial of dignity.
Abhorrent human rights violations target innocent Iranian civilians on a regular basis. Women are attacked with acid and arrested for dancing without wearing veils. A woman was recently hanged for killing her rapist in self-defense. Gays have also been strung up on the gallows in the public square. And people who are perceived to be from religious and ethnic minorities, part of political dissident groups or even some journalists have been jailed, persecuted and even executed.
On the diplomatic front, Iran’s backhanded strategy and nuclear secrets further destabilize its neighbors in the Middle East and jeopardize international relationships, all while the mullahs’ “death to America” chants and hateful rhetoric remain front and center in large-scale marches.
President Donald Trump reacted to the terrorist attacks targeting meaningful Iranian symbols through these tweets: “We grieve and pray for the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks in Iran, and for the Iranian people, who are going through such challenging times. We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote.” The president hit the nail on the head.
Iran cannot sponsor terrorism, celebrate a culture of violence and spread extremist ideological hatred, and then express outrage when it is burned by the same fire it has been stoking for decades.
Trump got it right.
Yet the response that Trump received from Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, calling Trump’s tweets “repugnant” is ironic at best. Telling the truth and having the moral clarity to reject terrorism is not repugnant.
What is truly repugnant is funding terrorism, oppressing your own citizens, lying to the international community, holding “death to America” rallies and pursuing nuclear terrorism.
The Iranian mullahs cannot have it both ways. They cannot support terrorism on the one hand, and then play the victim when they receive a taste of their own medicine.
Terrorism targeting innocent men, women and children is never justifiable—period. Maybe it is high time for the Iranian regime to take a good long look in the mirror, because sometimes you just might reap what you sow.
Mr. Williams is manager/sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. Listen to Mr. Williams on Sirius XM126 Urban View nightly 6 p.m.to 8 p.m., EST. Follow on Twitter @arightside.