“We do not want to use the oil weapon. It is them who would impose it upon us,” said Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and head of the Supreme National Security Council, on August 6 (Guardian,August 7).

“[W]e will react in a way that would be painful for them …. Do not force us to do something that will make people shiver in the cold,“ threatened Larijani, in response to possible United Nations sanctions proposed by Britain, the United States, France and Germany (ibid., emphasis ours throughout).

Larijani’s statements could be taken to mean that Iran could impede the flow of oil from the Middle East and therefore people would not be able to heat their homes—but is an oil-shortage the only thing the West should be worried about?

For years the Islamic Republic has been conducting a clandestine nuclear program. Iran maintains that it is only developing nuclear technology for the purpose of providing electricity to its people. “In the 21st century, the only way for any country to provide electricity is nuclear power,” said Mohammaud Saeidi, vice president of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (ibid.).

Saeidi says that Iran’s nuclear power needs are urgent, claiming that the nation’s oil and natural gas resources will run out in 25 to 30 years’ time. Under closer scrutiny, Saeidi’s energy shortage claims seem greatly exaggerated to say the least. Iran is estimated to have the world’s second-largest oil and gas reserves and is the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter. It hardly needs costly nuclear facilities for this purpose. It is much of the rest of the world that has to worry about running out of energy, not Iran. Europe for example, imports almost all its oil and natural gas.

But from Iran’s point of view, there is indeed an urgent need for nuclear technology—a religiously inspired one.

Consider Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s belief in a returning Mahdi, or 12th imam, which is a central doctrine among the most populous group of Shiites (known as Ithna Ashari, or “Twelvers”), to which he belongs. The president is a staunch believer in the mahdaviat, which is “belief in and efforts to prepare for the Mahdi.” In short, he believes the Mahdi will return within three years and that it is his job to prepare the way for his return. Columnist Charles Krauthammer likened Ahmadinejad’s belief in the return of the Mahdi, or 12th imam, to the belief within Judaism and Christianity of the messianic return.

A primary reason behind Iran’s urgent need for nuclear technology is found in how Iran aims to speed the return of the Mahdi.

Iran’s president believes that a “clash of civilizations” is required to speed the Mahdi’s return, and he feels he was given the Iranian presidency for just that reason. In the Weekly Telegraph of April 19-25, Amir Taheri, an Iranian journalist formerly stationed in Iran, wrote: “Tehran’s Shia regime believes that its nuclear weapons will speed the second coming of the Mahdi ….”

For an Islamic “clash of civilizations” with the West to be successful, Iran must have nuclear weapons. Iranian nuclear technology development is not destined for peaceful civilian purposes. Obviously, if that were the case, Iran wouldn’t have any problem with free and unlimited inspections. Furthermore, Iran is literally sitting on top of a sea of oil and natural gas—only one other country has more—so any rhetoric about how badly it needs nuclear energy is a red herring.

What’s more, Iran knows that being a nuclear power would make it indisputably the most dominant, leading Muslim nation—a goal Iran has been striving for. With both oil and nuclear cards to play, coupled with a global terrorist network, Iran really would be a force to be reckoned with.

The Bible says that a gigantic conflict with the Islamic world is coming. The conflict originates when nations comprising “the king of the south,” led by Iran, “push” at “the king of the north” (Daniel 11:40).

For more information on the coming conflict with radical Islam and the eventual outcome, please read The King of the South.