During the 1990s, Iran was eclipsed by Iraq. The rise of Saddam Hussein is described in Daniel 11:5
The King of the South will become, strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power.
Saddam is the commander whose power will be greater than that of Iran (Persia).
George Bush Snr, the president of the most powerful nation in the world, was unable to get rid of Saddam Hussein, even though he inflicted a defeat on his army in Kuwait. The United States established a no-fly zone over much of Iraq and imposed severe trade sanctions, but they were not able to depose Saddam Hussein. Saddam survived and became stronger.
When warning his people to prepare for Desert Storm, Saddam said, "Let everybody understand that this battle is going to become the mother and father of all battles." This was a prophetic. His machinations would eventually begin the series of battles between the King North and the King of the South and the Man of Intrigue described in Daniel 11,12.
Iran and Iraq were united in 1990, when the leading Iranian Ayatollah declared the Iraqi struggle against the United States to be a 'Holy War'. They also settled their border dispute.
The two nations were united further when America withdrew from Iraq and left Shiite political parties with strong links to Iran in control of Iraq.
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