London Discovers Martyrdom, Files Column

Spectator Australia · Matthew Parris · Tuesday 7 April 2026

London Discovers Martyrdom, Files Column

Matthew Parris explores Iran's use of self-sacrifice as asymmetric warfare strategy, a concept with rather more historical pedigree than the article's breathless framing suggests.

The Spectator's reprinted a London column about Iranian martyrdom culture like it's news. Mate, the Assassins were doing this in the eleventh century — Parris has discovered what the Crusaders worked out eight hundred years ago and filed it as insight. The 'What to read next' sidebar is doing more analytical work than the piece itself.

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