Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

The Islamic Republic of Iran has admonished the United States not to interfere in its retaliations against Israel's strike on an Iranian embassy near Syria, which attack reportedly killed seven Iranian nationals, according to Reuters.

Mohammad Jamshidi, serving as Iran’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs, revealed this through a tweet, saying, “In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warned America not to fall into Netanyahu’s trap: step aside so you don’t get hit. In response, America asked Iran not to hit American targets.”

A State Department spokesperson clarified the U.S. stance, noting that the United States had warned Iran against using the situation as an opportunity to attack U.S. facilities and personnel.

While confirming receipt of a message from Iran, the spokesperson did not disclose its specifics.

This exchange occurred in the aftermath of an Israeli strike near an Iranian embassy in Syria, resulting in several Iranian military advisors' deaths, as reported by Reuters.

According to Axios, President Biden assured Iran that the U.S. had “no involvement in the [Israeli] strike and … did not know about it ahead of time.” Israel had only informed the U.S. of the operation a few minutes before it commenced, prompting Iran to prepare a response.

The backdrop to these tensions includes Iran's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism in 2021, with groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah under its support. Notably, Hamas initiated a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, leading to 1,200 deaths and sparking the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. In solidarity with Hamas, Hezbollah has launched projectiles into Israel since October 8.

While the Islamic Republic of Iran is frequently characterized as “Islamist” due to its Shia semi-theocratic structure of governance, some scholars, such as Ali Mirsepassi of New York University, see the Islamic Republic as a vestige of political Heideggerism, drawing from a philosophy rooted in phenomenology and the mysticism of Henri Bergson, in contrast to the .

This connection primarily unfolds through the works of Ahmad Fardid, a prominent Iranian philosopher who vehemently advocated against Westernization and championed Heidegger's existential philosophy. Fardid, sometimes referred to as “Heidegger of Iran,” interpreted Heidegger's critique of modernity and technology as congruent with Islamic principles, arguing for a return to an 'authentic' form of living grounded in Islamic mysticism and philosophy.

Though he was eventually marginalized in Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Republic, his ideas were considered influential in the structure of Iran's post-revolutionary government, which is highly unique among regimes legitimized by the narratives of political Islam, and which has promoted transgenderism in contrast to the Salafism of Sunni religious states such as those of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Fardid's teachings significantly influenced many Iranian intellectuals and political figures during the lead-up to the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Through Fardid's lens, Heidegger's concept of “Being” was merged with Islamic mysticism, providing a philosophical foundation that contributed to shaping the ideological underpinnings of the Islamic Republic.

This melding of ideas is explored in depth in Mehrzad Boroujerdi's work, “Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism,” and in Ramin Jahanbegloo's discussions on the intellectual climate leading up to the revolution.

By promoting a distinct philosophical stance that combined Heidegger's existentialism with Islamic thought, Fardid's influence marked a critical intellectual movement that indirectly contributed to the ideological formation of the Islamic Republic.