Iranians must be free to select their religion as long as it does not damage the unity or territory of Iran. After 1000 year, shia Islam (or as enemies of Iran call it majusi/magianism hidden under Islam) is integrated into Iran. Its theology mainly was contributed to by persians (for at least 80%) and it helped to revive Iran during the safavids (after timurid and mongol genocides) and even some myths in it about Imam Hussein marriage with a sassanid prinses is a witness to that influence. Not to forget that Muhammad himself did not invade or declare war upon sassanid Iran.
War played an important role of spreading christianity in Europe. Charles the great campaigned against the
Saxons to his east,
Christianising them upon penalty of death and leading to events such as the
Massacre of Verden. Baltic states became Christian by sword. However nowadays Europe or many European nations do not even care that much about Christianity. They just accepted it as a component of Europe. They dont declare war upon christianity.
Now Irans ties to its Arab-muslim neighbours somehow resemble ancient Irans ties with Arabs.
Just replace phoenicians with todays Lebanese/hezbollah: In the wake of creating the navy, Persians hired Phoenician rowers and sailors, but later recruited from other subject peoples.
Replace Lakhmids with todays Southern Iraqi Shias: The
Lakhmids (
Arabic: اللخميون) referred to in Arabic as
al-Manādhirah (المناذرة) or
Banu Lakhm (بنو لخم) were an
Arab kingdom of southern
Iraq and East Arabia, with
al-Hirah as their capital, from about 300 to 602 AD. They were generally but intermittently the allies and clients of the
Sassanian Empire, and participant in the
Roman–Persian Wars.
And replace this historical event in Yemen with todays Irans support to Houthis (with their base in Sanaa):
The
Siege of Sana'a took place when the
Sasanian under military officer
Vahrez besieged the
Aksumite city of
Sana'a in 570.
In the late sixth century, Sasanian Empire of Persia and the Ethiopia-based Axumite Empire fought a series of wars over control of the Himyarite Kingdom in Yemen, Southern Arabia. After the Battle of Hadhramaut and the Siege of Sana'a in 570, the Aksumites were expelled from the Arabian peninsula. They had re-established their power there by 575 or 578, when another Persian army invaded Yemen and re-established the deposed king on his throne as their client. It marked the end of Ethiopian rule in Arabia.