While most discussions surrounding Iran focus on nuclear negotiations, sanctions and military threats, two Israeli journalists say the deeper issue is spiritual.
During a recent episode of Watchman Newscast, host Erick Stakelbeck spoke with Yair Pinto and Mati Shoshani, co-hosts of TBN Israel’s Boots on the Ground, about the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and Tehran’s regional proxies.
Pinto argued that Iran’s actions cannot be understood through politics alone.
“I would start with it’s a spiritual war,” Pinto said.
According to Pinto, Iran’s leaders view regional conflict through a religious lens.
“According to their radical Shiite doctrine, they need to just open the gates of hell towards everybody around them, especially Israel and the United States,” he said.
Pinto contended that the regime’s worldview makes lasting peace difficult because conflict itself serves a larger purpose.
“They don’t care about peace. They think this is an opportunity to actually fulfill their prophecies,” he said.
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The comments came during a broader discussion about stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran. Pinto argued that Western leaders often assume peace and stability are the desired outcomes, while Iran’s leadership may be operating from a completely different set of motivations.
“If you come from this understanding, then they don’t care about peace,” he said.
Shoshani echoed the belief that diplomacy has reached a dead end.
“I think at this point it should be clear to many people that there’s a reality in which there is no agreement. Not today, not tomorrow, not in the foreseeable months,” he said.
The interview concluded with a message of hope regarding Israel’s future despite ongoing wars and regional instability.
“I think that God is using Israel today to show the world that He’s still faithful,” Pinto said.
Pointing to Israel’s economic strength and military resilience, he added, “We need to praise God for being faithful and for being able to turn a rough situation into an amazing testimony that he’s in control.”
Stakelbeck echoed that sentiment as the segment ended.
“The God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob neither slumbers nor sleeps,” he said.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
