Alabama rabbi, Muslim weigh in on the conflict in Iran

As the conflict with Iran escalates, people in the River Region of Alabama are watching the conflict unfold from thousands of miles away while forming their own opinions. 

Scott Looper, a rabbi at Temple Beth Or in Montgomery, Alabama, said he feels some relief that Iran is being confronted but is uneasy about the loss of life.  

“Iran has always been a very threatening presence to the state of Israel,” Looper said.

“Now, that doesn't mean that all Jews agree with the current practices and political leadership of the state. 

“However, there's always been a fear that Iran, nuclear or not, could destroy the state of Israel. I don't think that Jews ever have great pleasure in the fact that people are being killed.” 

Muhammad Sultan, a junior multimedia journalism student and Sunni Muslim, lived in Lahore, Pakistan, for 24 years before coming to the United States. Although most Muslims in Iran are Shia Muslims, he said he still feels concern for the people affected by the conflict. 

“There’s no outcome of wars,” Muhammad said. “You’re destroying homes, you’re destroying countries, you’re destroying the economy and you’re essentially destroying everything. 

“It not only effects the country itself, but it also impacts the people in those countries.” 

Looper said he is also troubled by the increasing use of force in conflicts around the world, including wars involving Ukraine and Russia. 

“It's unsettling to me that the way in which things are being settled is through brute power, rather than people's ability to sit down and talk,” Looper said. “That said, it's also sort of reflective about what'shappening in the United States in terms of our own political process. 

“I'm not applauding this use of power or threat to be able to establish something. You can break something, but then how can you even put it back together?” 

Sultan hopes the conflict does not continue for long but believes tensions may persist. 

“Iran has raised the red flag, which is basically a revenge flag for them,” Sultan said. “When their leader was killed, that’s when they raised the flag, and they will not stop until they get their revenge.” 

Despite their different faiths and perspectives, both men can agree on one thing: they hope the fighting and loss of life will come to an end.