Dear Missile: An Iranian Diary

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Where you grew up, did they teach you in school the difference between a ballistic missile and a cruise missile? Where I grew up, they did. The first time, it was our “Defense Readiness” teacher who explained to us what a ballistic missile is. He was a traditional Shiite Muslim. You can recognize them by the large agate rings they wear on their right hands. His eyes were shining as he moved his hands to show how a ballistic missile first rises above the earth’s atmosphere, then falls at high speed, perhaps ultrasonically, and hits the target. He clearly worshiped the dear missiles.

Last night, I reviewed my memories while watching videos of ascending flames tearing through the darkness of the night. I realized that missiles have been present in my memories since my adolescence. It’s as if “missile” as a singular term had a character when I went to school in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The regime wanted to make a protagonist out of the missile. A big, powerful, fast hero who would protect Islamic Iran and destroy Israel. They really clung to this image of the dear missile.

However, this image changed after a certain point; at least I think so. There are some records in the archive of my memories which show that the missile was transformed into an avenger instead of a protector/destroyer. Since 2017, we can find several cases where the Islamic regime of Iran used the missile to attack targets in other states. The regime always claimed that the intention of all these attacks was revenge; to avenge after being hit. The missile was supposed to avenge Qasem Soleimani after he was killed by the United States, or to avenge some troops and civilians after a terrorist attack. However, the Islamic regime apparently didn’t feel the need to hit a relevant target for revenge. Once they hit Iraqi Kurdistan to avenge an IRGC commander who died in Syria in an alleged Israeli strike!

The missile became an avenging angel for the mullahs of Tehran. An angel that gave them the courage to attack Israel in 2024, their lifelong dream. The fire of their thirst for vengeance has already burned the Iranians with the elimination of a passenger plane in the midst of their revenge procedure. Now, with the expansion of their vengeance, others are being hurt as well. Someone must stop them. The missile should lose it’s character.