The going theory is that these proclamations when attributed to religious proclamations (Fatwa) versus policy statements are examples of Taqiya. This view is no

The going theory is that these proclamations when attributed to religious proclamations (Fatwa) versus policy statements are examples of Taqiya. This view is not without controversy as some claim it's just dog-whistling Islamophobia. However I think a more nuanced view is that Iran is both a nation state as well as a religious state, so (like all nation states) it will protect it's interests however it needs to which will include deception. Whether anyone thinks that the deception is primarily stemming from religious or secular instinct is an exercise for the reader. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiya