Anti-Shiite and Anti-Iranian Discourses in ISIS Texts

This article investigates how Shiaphobia and anti-Iranianism are constructed in the ISIS (Daesh) discourse. The author applies critical discourse analysis to understand how Shiaphobia and anti-Iranianism are shaped in ISIS media. The article also seeks to demonstrate that anti-Shiism has always existed throughout the history of Islam, and has grown due to the present conditions in Iraq and Syria, due to an increase in Iran’s relative power. This is also due to having a preexisting foundation in Salafi discourse (including, but not limited to, tribalism and sectarianism in the Arabian Peninsula, a background of takfiri jurisprudence, and a reaction to modernity and its symbols) has now resulted in shaping ISIS discourse, which defines Shia and Iranian identity as a common entity, as its enemy. In fact, ISIS identity, which in and of itself is a sum of different sources of subjective structures, plays a determining role in this group’s orientation through its interactions with the outside world. ISIS seeks to justify and legitimize such behaviors, specially its behavior toward Shiites as the other and immediate enemy. The author concludes that ISIS discourse conflates the Shia with Iran and homogenizes the concepts related to Shia and Iran, stimulating ISIS’ animosity toward Iran and Shiites.