Why Israel and Iran Are Enemies: The Conflict Explained
Israel and Iran are separated by more than 1,000 kilometers, but their rivalry reaches across the Middle East. Map: Torsten/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Iran and Israel maintained quiet political, economic and security ties before Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The partnership collapsed as revolutionary ideology and a regional struggle for power turned the countries into adversaries. Armed groups, missiles and the nuclear dispute later deepened that rivalry. Israel sees Iran as its most serious long-term threat because Tehran rejects Israel's legitimacy, supports armed groups that attack it, has built a large missile force and developed a nuclear program that could potentially bring it closer to a weapons capability. Iran sees Israel as a hostile regional power backed by the United States. Iranian leaders present support for Palestinians and opposition to Israel as central parts of the Islamic Republic's identity and foreign policy. Tehran has also used partnerships ...