It turns out that trying to run an entire civilization on pure, unadulterated theocratic vibes is a massive cope. For decades, the self-appointed elites running the show in Iran and across the Middle East told their populations that if they just surrendered all their personal freedom, locked down their societies, and focused on exporting theocratic revolutions, everything would be great. Fast forward to today, and the entire system is taking a historic L. The bond between religion and politics is officially cooked, and the people are pivoting hard toward based, sovereign nationalism.

Let’s look at the historical precedent here. Back in 1979, the regime in Iran set up the ultimate central planners' paradise: a government where clerical midwits got to dictate everything from economic policy to what people could wear, all backed by theological authority. It was the ultimate 'trust the science' moment, except the science was state-mandated sectarianism. Decades later, the results are exactly what any sensible person would expect: hyperinflation, economic decay, and a population that is completely checked out of the state's religious narrative.

What we are seeing now is a massive redpill moment across the region. Regular people have realized that state-enforced religion is just a giant grift designed to protect the ruling class while the rest of the country suffers. As a result, the artificial tie between faith and state power is snapping. People are keeping their personal spiritual lives separate from the regime's political agendas, leaving the authorities with zero ideological leverage.

In its place, nationalism is making an absolute comeback. And we're not talking about the kind of globalist-approved 'citizens of the world' nonsense. People are looking back at their actual history, their ancient heritage, and their distinct borders, realizing they have a civilization worth defending that has nothing to do with the ruling regime’s ideological obsessions. They want functional infrastructure, secure borders, and a working economy, not endless foreign entanglements and sectarian virtue signaling.

This shift is causing an absolute panic among the ruling class. When your entire claim to power relies on people believing you speak for the divine, a population that suddenly values national sovereignty and economic competence over your slogans is your worst nightmare. The era of using religious guilt to control the masses is hitting its natural limit.

In the end, the decline of Islamism and the rise of nationalism in the Middle East is a victory for reality over state-sponsored delusion. The sovereign nation-state remains the undefeated champion of human organization, and the theocrats are learning that lesson the hard way.

Sources: * Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (https://carnegieendowment.org) * Pew Research Center (https://www.pewresearch.org) * The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (https://www.washingtoninstitute.org)