I agree with you, mostly. My read is that Twelver Shi’ism is not a unified hierarchy, and a marja’s fatwa normally binds that marja’s own followers rather than all Shi’a, so your institutional point is broadly right.[1][2] It is too strong, though, to say the anti-nuclear position was simply “invented for PR”: Khamenei did publicly describe it as a real fatwa.[3] At the same time, Iran’s enrichment posture _does_ fit the description of a threshold state, with large stocks of uranium enriched to 60%, so it is fair to say the ruling also had strategic and diplomatic value.[4]

The parts I would soften are the specific claim about Sistani having a significant following inside the IRGC, which MIGHT be true but is much harder to substantiate publicly (although, maybe you have some behind-the-scenes knowledge?), and the certainty of motive. Still, your last sentence is basically right: these rulings are not _immutable_. After Ali Khamenei’s death, Iran’s foreign minister said (quoting the Reuters article), “fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist issuing them,” and added he was “not yet in a position to judge the jurisprudential or political views of Mojtaba Khamenei…” This reinforces the point that doctrine can shift if the leadership chooses.[5]

[1] Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Twelver Shi’ah.”

[2] Al-Islam.org, “Question 49: Difference between hukm and fatwa.” [3] Leader.ir, “Ayatollah Khamenei in the Eid al-Fitr congregational prayers” and “Leader’s remarks on anti-Iran sanctions and Yemen aggressions by Saudi Arabia.”

[4] Arms Control Association, “The Status of Iran’s Nuclear Program,” and ACA analysis citing the IAEA’s 440.9 kg figure.

[5] Reuters, “Iran says nuclear doctrine unlikely to change, Hormuz Strait needs new protocol” (March 18, 2026).

Your in-depth knowledge of completely random things never ceases to amaze me.

Maraaji' is the pluralized version in Arabic, but nothing wrong with saying marjas. Marji would be most wrong though.

> But there are several other marja (marjas? marji?)

Wikipedia has romanized: [singular] marji'; plural marāji'.

I don't know but I can certainly blame them for oppressing and murdering their own citizens.

After being caught developing nuclear weapons for real numerous times, now it is really for real?

> Maybe don't murder the religious leader that made the rulings.

Are you saying that politicians should be immune if they also serve a religious role?

Whoever is in charge doesn't matter, I can guarantee you they're not in a more favorable mood than 4 weeks ago. They also killed one of only rational diplomatic Iranian officials, during active negociations, if you want to make it clear negociating with the US is useless that's exactly what you'd do

There is a difference between not doing something and being unable to do something. Clearly there were able but only showed it now and their previous claim was BS (again, assuming those missiles did fly "far").

No-one believes that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, either... or that they wouldn't if they had developed the capability.

Ayatollah Khomeini admitted that he had lied about plans to make Iran democratic.

This practice is known as taqqiya. It’s ok to lie if you’re deceiving the enemy.

Do the missiles Iran has been raining down on other countries for decades not count as WMDs?

Never get involved in a land war in Asia but only slightly less well-known is never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

I wrote "flatten", not "invade".

It should be noted that Iran has publicly stated that the attacks on Turkey were false-flag attacks launched by Israel.

Attacking as in a couple of rockets heading US bases which were intercepted. Of course nothing would happen, why would Turkey (or other European countries) join this pointless war?

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I don't see the relevance of history and mythology to the point I was making. I am suggesting that even within the Shia framework, if we were to take it at face value, the religious ruling that the GP mentioned is non-binding because they are allowed to lie out of expediency to life or existential threats to the Islamic establishment (Taqiyya); it won't count as a sin or hypocricy within their own framework, objectively.

> Jewish holiday celebrating the mass murder of Persians.

You’re leaving out a key part of the story aren’t you? “Having found out that Mordecai is Jewish, Haman plans to kill not just Mordecai but the entire Jewish minority in the empire.”

Your analogy to what’s happening now is quite apt, though. Iran had peaceful relations with Israel for decades. It was the second Muslim country to recognize Israel. But for decades since then it has been funding terrorism and launching missiles aimed at Israel.

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