The Iranian Revolution was a shock to international politics. It came out of nowhere (or so it appeared) and could not be understood because international politics assumed that a country was either capitalist or communist or was in the process of making up its mind. In order to help countries make up their minds America and the Soviet Union intervened with disastrous consequences (e.g., 3,000,000 people were killed in Vietnam) but they both assumed only capitalism or communism were possible.
So great was their horror to discover that a country (Iran) had most definitely made up its mind AND, moreover, rejected both capitalism and communism. A new, independent force had appeared in the world and the West (giving arms and poison gas to Saddam Hussein) set out to destroy it.
The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran was a huge religious political, cultural and national event. It showed that there was a third way forward (distinct from Western capitalism and communism) and it kicked out the Americans and Western imperialism. From that time onwards a question mark appeared over the activities of both America and the Soviet Union. Neither of them could ever again be completely sure that only they were world leaders.
The Revolution was an expression of political independence, religious independence, cultural independence and moral leadership. Above all, it was democratic. Like the Roman Empire and British Empire in the past, the West rules in West Asia by making a deal with local, brutal autocratic elites. The West will support the elite and in exchange the elite suppress local democracy. It’s a nasty, cynical process. But the Iranian Revolution gave hope for democracy in West Asia and the Islamic World and that is the position today.
Take a look at the democratic demonstrations in Iran — anything from the Revolution celebrations to commemoration of the demise of Imam Khomeini. These demonstrations are huge. There is nothing like them anywhere else in the world and, NB that is why the Western media try to ignore them.
The West attacks and it sanctions but it has lost political and moral leadership. The assassination of Qassem Soleimani was a last desperate attempt by America to stop Iran’s burgeoning leadership.
The Revolution opposed, and opposes, the imposition of colonial settlements on the lands of others i.e., in particular, it opposes the racist entity of Israel which, today, is rapidly expanding under the aegis of the USA.
Because a rabid Zionism infects the political establishments of the West (particularly the USA) and, at the same time, the corrupt autocracies of the Middle East (e.g., Saudi Arabia) want to suppress any sort of democratic force in, or near, their areas, the consequence is that only Iran stands up in clear brave political AND democratic support of the people of Palestine.
The Western political establishments are Zionist and, in particular, the mainstream media are Zionist. A natural sense of justice means that most people instinctively feel that the Palestinians are oppressed but, at the same time, the politicians and the newspapers and television are saying that the Palestinians are “terrorists”. So, in practice, Israel is able to continue expanding.
There is definitely an increase in the number of European politicians and officials who understand that Israel is an oppressive, racist entity expanding into the lands of others. However, the Zionists label anybody who opposes the expansion as “anti-Semite” and so the truth is suppressed.
Iran stands firm as the leader of opposition to the expansion of Israel. One day, the overweening arrogance of Israel will lead to its destruction.