But this has not stopped Iran’s government from attempting to commandeer the main levers of Islam, both politically and theologically. Using Arab countries’ Shia communities, it is trying to wield control over them, with the ultimate objective of taking over Islam’s two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, over which the Saudi monarch exercises authority as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
当然，伊朗所代表的不仅仅是一小撮少数派穆斯林；伊朗人不是阿拉伯人。因此，很难理解他们有能力肆意使唤阿拉伯国家。但这并没有停止伊朗政府试图把持伊斯兰教权柄的努力，不管是在政治上还是在技术上。伊朗利用阿拉伯国家的什叶派群体，试图控制他们，进而达到控制伊斯兰教两大圣城——麦加和麦地那的终极目标。目前，这两座圣城由沙特君主以两座大清真寺守护者的身份统治。