Even if some Arab states legitimately do want the Iranian regime to collapse, they don't necessarily want it to randomly collapse right now with no clear indication of what will take it's place. Add in the fact that the major driver of this unrest, high inflation and excessive corruption, are probably not flames they want to fan domestically. Best to watch closely and cautiously keep their options open.
Pet_Ant•3w ago
Ira_n_ is not Arab. They are Persian and speak an Indo-European language.
Ira_q_, is Arab. Neighbors, some of the same religion^, similar name, same-ish alphabet, similar skin tones... very different language. Arabic is semitic language, think Hebrew.
Most Muslim middle-east countries are Arab... Iran is an exception (as is Turkey who come from Central Asia, eg Turkmenistan)
Most Arab countries are predominantly Muslim. Malta is the exception, Lebanon is complicated.
^ The biggest split amongst Muslims is Sunni vs Shia (think protestants vs catholics), Saudi Arabia is Sunni, Ira_n_ is Shia, Iraq is mixed.
ThrowawayR2•3w ago
xenospn•3w ago
Pet_Ant•3w ago
> Maltese is a Central Semitic language derived from late medieval Sicilian Arabic with Romance superstrata. It is the only Semitic language officially written in the Latin script. It is spoken by the Maltese people and is a national language of Malta, and is the only official Semitic and Afroasiatic language of the European Union
Maltese is the official language of Malta and 77% of people in Malta are Maltese. Now, what's the definition of Arab is debateable, but I think it's reasonable. I think they are sort of like Romanians where they are surrounded by Slavs, but their bretheren are on the other side of the continent. This is a simplification and as primer, I'm sure people have more nuanced takes.
xenospn•3w ago
Pet_Ant•3w ago
That would give you a sample of the language. Watching it seems pretty definitive that it is. A more eclectic member of the Arabic family, but it’s definitely Arab.
BXLE_1-1-BitIs1•3w ago
We saw the same in Latin America with Spanish and Catholicism.
Steven420•3w ago
Pet_Ant•3w ago
Are they still Arabs? That's subjective.
I'd consider America and England two capitals of the Anglo empire much like Roman and Constantinople, but there is lots of room for nuance. (Romans & Byzantines saw themselves as the same, whereas Americans and English see themselves as different... but I chalk that up to the tyranny of small differences, just look at how the elites jump back and forth across the pond and how their politics harmonise, Trump/Farage, Reagan/Thatcher, Clinton/Blair).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_people#History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Relationship
x______________•3w ago
EricBetts•3w ago