This is CBS Eye on the World.

Here's John Batchelor.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran, Persia once upon a time.

It is a country that has dominated the conversation in Eurasia for thousands of years. You will recall

famous stories from the Greeks, Thermopyla, for example. Who's the enemy? Persia. This is a power,

Persia, broke Rome swords, Persia, also known as the Parthians. This land is extremely dug in.

I'm conveying to you that this is not normal.

And I welcome Cliff May, the president and founder of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy,

who in his recent piece for the Washington Times identifies what is out of step with understanding of modern nationalism.

This is a quote from the original Ayatollah as he returned from Paris from exile after the Shah had fled or departed for medical attention in America.

His quote is very important and clear will unpack it for us.

However, what we're looking at here again is religious language, language of sacrifice, language of longstanding grievances,

dating back long before the United States existed,

to the time of the arise of Islam to begin with. We're looking at a culture that believes very much it derives its power from spiritual consistency,

not from a pledge of allegiance or a constitution, anything like that.

Cliff, a very good evening to you.

Your quote from the Ayatollah is at both reassuring that we're not, we're dealing with

someone who has an opinion that is substantial and philosophical. And also we're dealing with someone who has an opinion that is substantial and philosophical.

And also we're dealing with the inheritor of the hominist system from 1980, who's also.

And the heart of it is, I am not loyal to Iran.

I am loyal to Allah.

I sacrifice not to for Iran, but I sacrifice for Allah.

...