Since the 1979 Revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been a persistent source of instability in the Middle East, pursuing an expansion of its influence through the promotion of Shia political Islam, regional hegemony, and systemic opposition to Western influence—particularly that of the United States. The Iranian Revolution, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, replaced the monarchy with an authoritarian theocracy committed to clear strategic objectives: expelling US military and political influence from the Middle East and dismantling the Israeli