Also, Iran...
Iran’s leadership and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) are deeply influenced by Twelver Shia eschatology, centering on the belief in the return of the Twelfth Imam, also known as the Mahdi. This messianic figure is expected to reappear after a period of global chaos and injustice to establish a worldwide Islamic government of justice.
Many within the Iranian regime believe that creating conditions of conflict and defeating enemies, particularly Israel and the United States, is necessary to hasten the Mahdi’s return. The IRGC views itself as the "army-in-waiting" for the Imam, interpreting geopolitical struggles as part of a divine apocalyptic script where the "Great Satan" (the US) and "Little Satan" (Israel) must be overcome before the end times.
While official stances vary, this theology significantly shapes Iran’s foreign policy and strategic culture. Hardline factions often frame military aggression and resistance against Western influence as religious obligations to prepare the world for the Imam’s reappearance, viewing the current era as a precursor to the final battle between good and evil.