At the turn of another Iranian new year on March 20, some Israeli officials took advantage of the opportunity to recall Iran’s history with the Jews in an effort to foster peace and bring about a return to a relationship that existed 2,500 years ago.

In a video presentation, Israeli President Shimon Peres said, “The Jewish people, and the Persian people—the Iranian people—have a very long history, and we’re going to have a longer future. Our history is a happy history, the relations between your people and our people are more than good.”

The president then went on to discuss the illustrious history between the Persians and Jews: “Actually, your great King Cyrus was really the man, the leader, that called the Jewish people to come back, and go back, to their land, to Israel. This was the first return of the Jewish people to their old home. We shall never forget it.”

This is true. There was a great king in Persia named Cyrus who aided the Jewish people in their relocation back to Judea following 70 years of exile in Babylon. King Cyrus also returned many of the temple treasures, and supported the construction of the second temple. This history is recorded in both biblical and secular history.

But are the relations between Israel and Iran really “more than good,” as Peres claimed? Plenty of sand has blown across the desert since the days of Cyrus the Great. While there may have been a healthy relationship between the Jews and Persians of old, the relationship between Jews and Iranians today bears little resemblance to its former glory. Cyrus the Great has been replaced with Khamenei the dictator, and Persia has been replaced with Iran. Today, Iranian leaders call for the complete annihilation of the nation of Israel.

While the names “Persia” and “Iran” are interchangeable—“Iran” being the native name in the Persian dialect—the more common of the two on the international level is “Iran.” The name alone should be enough for Israel to realize that it is not dealing with Cyrus-type leaders anymore.

The name “Persia” was officially replaced by “Iran” in 1935. Reza Shah, a Nazi sympathizer, was persuaded by German elites and the Iranian ambassador to Germany to change the name to “Iran,” which was the common name used by native Iranians for centuries. At the time of the change, Germany was rife with Aryanism. The idea that the Germans were the chosen race was a commonly held belief. This idea had a profound impact on Iran.

It just so happens that Iran means “land of the Aryans.” The Nazi party recognized the Iranian people as the pure-blooded descendants of the Aryan race, and often spoke of the close ties that the two nations supposedly held through this bloodline. When war broke out, Iran was neutral, but the shah was considered a friend of the Axis powers.

This pro-Nazi, anti-Semitic history is still within living memory. Yet Peres seems to ignore that—instead focusing on people who lived 2,500 years ago.

Peres can dream for a year of peace, but ultimately, as recent history and Bible prophecy show, Iran will not stay passive.

Read Daniel 11:40, where the king of the south will aggressively push at other world powers. This Middle Eastern king will be allied with the nations of Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia. This is no peaceful alliance. The actions taken by that king—Iran—will trigger the beginning of World War iii!

Even though Peres cannot persuade Iran to change, there is someone who can and will bring about peace! Speaking of Iran’s rise, and the terrible consequences, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in the booklet The King of the South: “This nightmare, however, is leading directly to the return of Jesus Christ. That is the best possible news this world could ever hear! This evil world of terrorism and war is about to end forever. It will soon be replaced by a world full of prosperity and peace.”

Request and read this powerful booklet. It will explain in detail some of the amazing prophecies concerning the region and the glorious future of peace and cooperation that will flourish in the deserts of the Middle East.