TEHERAN, Iran — A radical cleric called Saturday for the creation of a "Greater Iran" that would rule over the entire Middle East and Central Asia, in.

TEHERAN, Iran — A radical cleric called Saturday for the creation of a "Greater Iran" that would rule over the entire Middle East and Central Asia, in an event that he said would herald the coming of Islam's expected messiah.

Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi said the creation of what he termed an Islamic United States is a central aim of the political party he leads - called Hizbullah, or Party of God. He added that he hoped to make his vision a reality if the party won the next presidential election.

Kharrazi's comments revealed the thinking of a growing number of hard-liners in Iran, many of whom have become more radical during the postelection political crisis and the international standoff over the country's nuclear program. Kharrazi, however, is not highly influential in Iran's clerical hierarchy and his views do not represent those of the current government.

He said he envisioned a Greater Iran that would stretch from Afghanistan to Israel, bringing about the destruction of the Jewish state.

He also said its formation would be a prelude to the reappearance of the Mahdi, a revered ninth-century saint known as the Hidden Imam, whom Muslims believe will reappear before judgment day to end tyranny and promote justice in the world.

"The Islamic United States will be an introduction to the formation of the global village of the oppressed and that will be a prelude to the single global rule of the Mahdi," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Israel should be integrated into an Islamic Caliphate, and Hamas and Hizbullah should be respected as legitimate political movements, according to Israeli-Arab MK Masoud Ganaim in an interview with the weekly paper Kul al-Arab, which is published in Israel. The interview was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Ganaim explicitly said that he is opposed to Jewish statehood, stating that his Ra'am Ta'al party is “against the Zionist movement and its racist ideas.” If Israel is absorbed into an Islamic Caliphate, he said, Jews will be allowed to remain in the region.

Ganaim is a member of the southern branch of the Islamic Movement, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.Regarding Jerusalem, which Ganaim referred to as “occupied,” the MK said that Arabs must be prepared to fight. “Jerusalem and Al-Aksa [Mosque] are both in danger,” he declared. He backed extremist Muslim leaders in saying that Israel is threatening the Al-Aksa Mosque and plans to rebuild the Temple.When asked if the struggle for Al-Aksa should be peaceful, the MK said Muslims “must not relinquish any means.”Ganaim expressed support for Hamas and Hizbullah, which both strive to destroy Israel. “The Iran-Syria-Hizbullah axis represents the policy of resistance and non-capitulation, so naturally I am with this axis,” he said when asked which side he would support in a battle between Iran and a handful of Arab nations.

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

The Temples – Past & FutureThe Temples – Past & Future

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

The Garden – the SeparationThe Garden – the Separation

Genesis 3: 8-11

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

Abraham, Isaac & MoriahAbraham, Isaac & Moriah

Genesis 22: 1-2

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

The TabernacleThe Tabernacle

Exodus 25: 8Exodus 40: 34-38

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

King David - JerusalemKing David - Jerusalem

II Samuel 5: 6-10II Samuel 6: 1-2, 17

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

King David – “the ark of God King David – “the ark of God remains in a remains in a

tent.”tent.”II Samuel 7: 1-2, 12-13

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

King David – the threshing King David – the threshing floorfloor

II Samuel 24: 18-25

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

Solomon – builds the 1Solomon – builds the 1stst temple temple

II Chronicles 3: 1I Kings 6: 1, 37-38

~966 – 959BC

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

11stst temple – the ark & the Glory temple – the ark & the Glory

I Kings 8: 1-11

959BC

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemWhat was in the ark?What was in the ark?

I Kings 8: 9 – two stone tabletsExodus 25: 16, 21Exodus 40: 20

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemWhat was in the ark?What was in the ark?

Exodus 16: 33-34 – jar of mannaNumbers 17: 8-10 – Aaron’s staff

Hebrews 9: 4

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

11stst temple temple

~959 – 586BC

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemNebuchadnezzarNebuchadnezzar

9th of Av, 586BC

II Kings 25: 1-2, 8-9, 13-17

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemWhat about the ark?What about the ark?

Jeremiah 3: 16

“…we have always known exactly where it is.”Temple Institute

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemIsrael captive in BabylonIsrael captive in Babylon

Jeremiah 29: 10 – 70 yearsDaniel 5: 1-6 – Temple treasures

586 – 516BC

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem

Zerubbabel – builds the 2Zerubbabel – builds the 2ndnd templetemple

Ezra 1: 1-2Ezra 3: 8-13

~536 – 516BC

Ezra 5: 1-2Ezra 6: 15, 19

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthemTemple furnishingsTemple furnishings

Jeremiah 27: 21-22Ezra 1: 7-11

I will dwell among I will dwell among themthem11stst temple (Solomon’s) temple (Solomon’s)

959 BC

22ndnd temple (Zerubbabel’s) temple (Zerubbabel’s)

516 BC