Abbas Amanat

this eventual encounter between religion and state.

That's something to do with the nature of Shiza.

That's just one point that should be pointed out.

Most of Sunni Islam don't have that kind of, I say most because there is something there.

But Sunni Islam in general does not have that kind of an aspiration for the coming of a messianic leader.

Shizam does.

Shizam, and it's very shaping, particularly the way that it was set up in Iran, was a religion that has always this element of expectation to it for the coming of this messianic leader.

Of course, I mean, between parentheses, all societies look for

Messianic leaders, I mean, just look around us.

a sense of a savior who would bring you out of the misery that you're in.

And always looking for a third party.

to solve your issues.

That's why probably this movement has a particular significance because it probably doesn't look for a messiah.

Although I was talking to my brother, who is a historian also, and he was saying perhaps the messiah of this movement is that Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old girl.

that was killed.

It's a martyred Messiah who is now leading a movement which no longer has that charismatic leadership with it.

But yes, I would say that Iran has been the birthplace, if I might say that, of Messianic aspirations.

Going back to ancient Zoroastrianism, which is really the whole system that you see in major religions, or at least so-called Western religions, Abrahamic religions, is parallel or perhaps influenced by Zoroastrianism, in which there is an idea of this world and the other world, there's a hereafter.

There is an idea of a judgment at the end of the time,

And there is a concept that there is a moment of justice that is going to come with the rise of a religious or a charismatic figure.